THERE was value buying in the lighter steers but heavy steers remained fully-firm to slightly dearer at the Mount Gambier market on Friday, according to Miller, Whan and John director Scott Miller.
“Any heavy steers sold very well, but once you got to the lighter steers – the 250 kilogram to 270kg lots – they became very cheap,” he said.
“We’ve probably not seen those prices of $500 to $700 in Mount Gambier for a while.”
Mr Miller said part of this could be driven by many buyers already having similar cattle in paddocks, bought at a higher price, leading to a lack of competition.
Killarnie, Strathdownie, Vic, sold 13 Angus steers, Boonaroo-blood, 322 kilograms, at $1050 or $3.26/kg.
G&D Doube, Dartmoor, Vic, sold 17, 10-month-old to 12mo Angus steers, Pasturefed Cattle Assurance System-eligible, Nampara-bld, 370kg, at $1155 or $3.12/kg, with another 20, 347kg, at $1055 or $3.04/kg.
Morella, Wallacedale, Vic, sold 15, 10-12mo Angus steers, PCAS-eligible, Nampara-bld, 350kg, at $1055, or $3.01/kg.
The Gums had 12 Hereford/Shorthorn yearlings, PCAS, 358kg, for $1040, or $2.91/kg.
In the heavier weights, JP Pulman had 10 Angus and Red Angus steers, 469kg, at $1360 or $2.90/kg.
Morella had 17 Angus steers, PCAS-elgible, 394kg, at $1180 or $2.99/kg.
Jarup Pty Ltd, Dartmoor, Vic, sold eight, 10mo Angus-cross, Ebony Beef-bld, 391kg for $1175, $3/kg. A second run, 348kg, sold at $1020 or $2.93/kg.
Kleenview, Casterton, Vic, sold 12 Angus-cross, 418kg, European Union-accredited, at $1190 or $2.85/kg.
Bellco sold seven, 18mo, Angus-cross, 402kg, at $1140 or $2.84/kg.
Sandown Park, Bordertown, offered 15 Angus steers, 294kg, which sold at $955, or $3.25/kg.
Hillside, Mingbool, had 20 Hereford steers, Spotshill-bld, 333kg, at $980, or $2.94/kg, with a second run, 277kg, at $860 or $3.10/kg.
Wrights Swamp, Drumborg, Vic, nine yearlings, Banquet and Pathfinder-blds, 364kg, for $1090, or $2.99/kg with a second run at 318kg for $970, or $3.05/kg.
Riverlyn Farms, Murray Bridge, sold five Angus, 383kg, at $1100, or $2.87kg.
Nangkita, Mount Gambier, 16 Angus yearlings, Nampara-bld, PCAS, 333kg, at $950, or $2.85/kg.
Coorong Apiaries, Coonalpyn, sold 38 Holstein steers at $430, with a second run of 15 at $400.
The heifer offering did not reach the heights of their steer counterparts.
Nangkita, Mount Gambier, had 21 Angus yearling heifers, Nampara-blood, Pasturefed Cattle Assurance System-eligible, 383 kilograms, at $1165 or $3.04/kg.
Morella, Wallacedale, Vic, had 15 Angus yearlings, PCAS, Nampara-bld, 368kg, at $1115 or $3.03/kg.
Bellco sold 11, 18-month-old Angus heifers, 354kg, at $1010 or $2.85/kg.
G Badenoch had eight, 10mo, Angus heifers, 357kg, for $1020 or $2.86/kg.
P&K Holmes had 16 Hereford/Angus European Union-accredited yearlings, 296kg, at $840 or $2.84/kg.
Hillview offered 19 Shorthorn cows with 19 Shorthorn-cross calves at-foot, which sold at $1080.
Kirkland Pastoral sold 12 Charolais cows, with 12 CAF for $1100.
Jamalu, Mount Gambier, sold 15 Angus heifers, Lawson and Boonaroo-bld, pregnancy-tested in-calf, for $1110. A run of 25 of their 2014-15 drop, also PTIC sold for $1280, with a further 14 at $1180.