![GOOD TIMES: Helen and Howard Bennett, Delamere, sold 19 Angus steers, eight months, to $1130 at the December Strathalbyn sale.
GOOD TIMES: Helen and Howard Bennett, Delamere, sold 19 Angus steers, eight months, to $1130 at the December Strathalbyn sale.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/38Deqn27HisdktPPRtKmxju/808104a0-829d-4377-848a-02024d68dec3.jpg/r361_120_4928_2628_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
The South East’s January weaner sales will have some much smaller yardings with dry conditions sparking a flood of cattle before Christmas.
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Despite lower numbers there will be plenty of heat in prices.
Beef producers will look back on 2015 fondly with the Eastern Young Cattle Indicator nearing $6 a kilogram – a rise of nearly $2/kg for the year.
Many weaner steers in the mid-December sales made between $3.30 and $3.50/kg liveweight, and heifers topped at $3.30/kg.
Agents expected prices would remain on par if not rallying, especially if rain fell in northern NSW and Qld.
Feedlotters are expected to remain strong, well aware of a looming shortage of kill cattle in late autumn to winter 2016. A strong live export order has also taken numbers out of the paddock.
The first January Naracoorte weaner sale has been condensed from two days to one day on January 7 –reflecting the numbers already sold.
The Mount Gambier combined agents have advertised 2000 head for January 8.
A lack of feed and water has also drawn calves out of the paddock early in western Vic with a special sale held in Casterton, Vic, on December 3. Elders and Landmark Casterton have advertised 2200 and 1500 steers for their two sales on January 5 and 8, and a combined heifer sale of 2000 head on January 14.
Yardings are also expected to be smaller for the week-long Hamilton, Vic, sales.
Naracoorte combined agents’ president Laryn Gogel said numbers were still coming in but expected 3500 to 4000 steers and heifers, including feature lines from South Killanoola at Bool Lagoon.
Most of the calves would be bound for NSW with feed scarce locally.
“NSW have indicated to us they will be back to support the sale so it should be on a par to what we have seen,” Mr Gogel said.
“I don’t believe it will fall off the rails with Vic calves on board. There will also still be support from the boat with an enormous amount of calves needed in the new year.”
Elders Naracoorte livestock manager Tom Dennis said most of the 30 to 40 per cent of calves remaining for sales would come from south of Naracoorte, as well as Lucindale and Kingston. “There will still be the top end but definitely not the number of calves and we might see rather than 330kg to 340kg they are averaging 310kg,” he said.
He said cattle price rises were much needed to trigger herd growth, with sheep and lamb returns outpacing cattle for years. “In a challenging year it gives everyone a lot of confidence to hold heifers and hopefully we will see that, but we are still seeing a lot go to feedlotters,” he said.
Mr Dennis said the feeder type cattle which have been in demand all last year would remain strong. “The processors will have to step up to get those cattle to feed to have supply in 120 to 140 days time,” he said.
P&L Livestock auctioneer Chris Manser also expected smaller numbers in Mount Gambier with the Lower South East season six or seven weeks ahead of usual.
“Some people who sell in January have definitely sold in December,” he said.
“Those who can are holding on until January and February weaner sales but they’ve already started supplementary feeding. We can’t complain about our season when you see some other areas. It has certainly shut off earlier but the feed has allowed us to sell stock off earlier.”
Mr Manser was hopeful prices would remain high into January and even have some upside.
“Live export orders should put a floor in it and there has been a bit of rain through NSW so we are already seeing weaners go that way,” he said.
“If Qld can snare a rain we expect prices may even improve because there are not many numbers about.”