NARACOORTE combined agents chairman Jason Mahney says dry seasonal conditions in the South East have pushed the weaner selling season forward a month with about half the area's 2014-drop calves already heading to greener pastures.
Most calves are traditionally sold in January, but the Naracoorte Regional Livestock Exchange has been bursting at the seams with two massive yardings of weaners over four days in the past month.
The first sale in early November featured 3383 steers and 1297 heifers, and on Thursday and Friday last week another 4394 steers and 2483 heifers were yarded.
South East bullock finishers are less active than previous years but a live export order for Russia has put a floor in the market.
Interstate competition has also been strong.
"They come here knowing the breeding is right, all the cattle are bred well and do well so they keep coming back every year," Mr Mahney said.
"The vendors were estimating prices at about $2 a kilogram but it was better than that last week by about 20 cents/kg to 30c/kg, because of the season they didn't really know what to expect but it isn't too bad."
Mr Mahney says agents will decide within the next couple of days whether scheduled sales early next month will be a two-day event, on January 8 and 9, or if steers and heifers will be sold on January 8.
Catherine Miller
Stock Journal's livestock editor and South East correspondent.
Stock Journal's livestock editor and South East correspondent.
