Wodonga sale backed by restockers, thousands of cattle go under the hammer

Elders and Nutrien Paull & Scollard agents yarded 2364 cattle at the Northern Victoria Livestock Exchange on Thursday, as a bulk of the cattle were bought by local restockers.

Only a few-hundred cattle were expected to head north of the Murray River as several notable commission buyers were absent from the monthly sale.

Their absence was due to simultaneous markets at Mortlake, Pakenham and Naracoorte, SA, where a combined 12,000 cattle were scheduled to go under the hammer on the same day.

One northern buyer was Gerard Parker, Tallangatta, who bought more than 100 steers to send to a backgrounder at Roma, Qld.

Wodonga agents said most of the cattle sold on Thursday were bought by agents and restockers within a 100-kilometre radius of the NVLX, with prices jumping $200-$250 compared to their last market in November.

The sale started with 29 Hereford first-calving heifers with calves at foot, consigned by the Nixon family of Studley Park, Rand, NSW, which made $2900 a unit.

The heifers were pregnancy-tested-in-calf, Tondara-blood, and bought by Nutrien Paull & Scollard agent Jack Connell, Albury, NSW, for an undisclosed breeder at Tullibigeal, NSW.

Nutrien Paull & Scollard auctioneer Will Jennings, Albury, NSW, said steer prices were firm with other recent Wodonga sales in the last few weeks, but heifers eased 10-15 cents a kilogram throughout the sale.

Springdale Nominees, Greta, sold five cows with calves at foot, rejoined, for $2340 and six third and fourth-calving cows with calves at foot for $2200.

The same vendor also sold 17 heifers, 337kg, for $940 or 278c/kg and 15 heifers, 308kg, for $900 or 292c/kg.

Saleyard data showed steers weighing 200-280kg averaged 291c/kg or $733, steers 280-330kg averaged 292c/kg or $878, steers 330-400kg averaged 273c/kg or $995 and steers 400-500kg averaged 273c/kg or $1168.

Meanwhile, heifers weighing 200-280kg averaged 258c/kg or $668, heifers 280-330kg averaged 245c/kg or $768, heifers 330-400kg averaged 228c/kg or $836 and heifers 400-500kg averaged 229c/kg or $945.

Elders Albury livestock Brett Shea said the sale was dominated by local agents and restockers.

"The market had some peaks and troughs in it but at the end of the day, we were very happy with the significant increase in prices in the cows and calves," he said.

"Our autumn-drop calves were on expectation, but there was still some really good buying opportunities for people who have been able to capitalise on the lifts in the prime and feeder markets too."

The Petersen family, Tocumwal, NSW, sold 39 cows with 42 calves at foot, including 11 third-calving cows with calves at foot for $2340 to agent Kirsty Taylor, Elders Albury, for a breeder at Mullengandra, NSW.

The Petersens also sold six first-calving heifers with calves at foot for $2360 and 10 heifers with calves at foot for $2600.

In the steers, Hicks Family Trust, Mudgegonga, sold the first pen of five steers, 423kg, for $1310 a head or 309c/kg.

Allonby Angus, Guys Forest, sold 100 steers, 8 months, including 20 steers, 280kg, for $995 or 355c/kg to a bullock fattener at Everton, 20 steers, 280kg, for $980 or 350c/kg, and 25 steers, 262kg, for $905 or 345c/kg.

Scott Crameri Holdings, Mudgegonga, sold five steers, 444kg, for $1360 or 306c/kg.

HR & P Green sold nine steers, 443kg, for $1390 or 313c/kg.

JA Cattanach, Lyre Barry, Hay, NSW, sold 16 steers, 433kg, for $1340 or 309c/kg and 13 steers, 389kg, for $1210 or 311c/kg.

The same vendor also sold 17 heifers, 406kg, for $1085 or 267c/kg.

BD & DL Schiller, Tarwong, Hay, sold 12 Speckle Park steers, 457kg, for $1140 or 249c/kg, and 19 steers, 413kg, for $1035 or 250c/kg.

P & N Rogers Investments Pty Ltd, Yarranalla, Holbrook, NSW, sold 12 steers, 423kg, for $1330 or 314c/kg, and five steers, 340kg, for $920 or 270c/kg.

J Ley, Jarvis Creek, sold 22 steers, 401kg, for $1180 or 294c/kg and 21 steers, 370kg, for $1070 or 289c/kg.

Koombahla Trust, Holbrook, sold 12 steers, 443kg, for $1070 or 241c/kg.

Altona, Rand, NSW, sold seven steers, 395kg, for $1160 or 293c/kg.

D & C Phegan, sold nine steers, 310kg, for $1000 or 322c/kg.

L & L Schultz, Benjeroop, sold 18 steers, 412kg, for $1340 or 325c/kg.

The same vendors also sold 21 heifers, 397kg, for $960 or 241c/kg and 26 heifers, 385kg, for $975 or 253c/kg.

Clearview Ag, Narriel Valley, sold nine steers, 359kg, for $1170 or 325c/kg.

Newman Biotech, Willow Park, Bowna, sold 14 steers, 356kg, for $1120 or 317c/kg and 14 heifers, 402kc, for $1005 or 250c/kg.

Karawarra Pastoral Co, Benalla, sold 26 steers, 367kg, for $1175 or 320c/kg and 24 steers, 309kg, for $1080 or 349c/kg.

C Fogarty, Glenrowan, sold 17 heifers, 395kg, for $1005 or 254c/kg and 13 heifers, 360kg, for $840.