Mt Gambier cattle rates drop

Competition was limited mainly to local restockers and a sole feedlot buyer, compared with three in August, providing a good opportunity for graziers to buy in at competitive rates.

Elders' David Creek estimated steer prices were 10 cents a kilogram to 15c/kg cheaper, although he said "good cattle still sold well".

"There was certainly an accent on quality and good lines of cattle today with secondary and smaller cattle selling considerably cheaper," he said. "There wasn't the weight in the cattle today that there was in August, and the quality dropped off pretty quick".

Heavy Angus steers 450kg-plus sold to $2.93/kg, with coloured steers in this weight range selling from $2.18-$2.88/kg.

Angus steers from 360-450kg made $2.76-$3.26/kg, and coloured steers 360-450kg sold from $2.43-$3.02/kg. Angus steers in the 320-360kg range sold at $2.68-$3.28/kg, while coloured steers of the same weights made $2.72-$3.20/kg. Lighter (weighed) Angus steers 280-320kg returned $2.79-$3.22/kg, with coloured steers in this weight range selling from $1.96-$2.68/kg.

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Angus steers under 280kg sold from $2.79-$3.15/kg, with coloured steers under 280kg making from $2-$2.49/kg.

Alva Downs, Merino, Vic, received the $1435 top steer price - equating to $1435 - for 19 European Union-accredited, Pasturefed Cattle Assurance System-eligible, 10- to 12-month-old Murdeduke/Injemira/Woonallee-blood Angus-crosses, averaging 445kg, bought by the Wooding family, Penola.

A 348kg second draft sold at $1040 or $2.99/kg to Thomas Foods International. TFI also bought Alva Downs' draft of 20 Injemira and Woonallee-bld, 14-16mo Hereford-crosses, 344kg, at $1000 or $2.91/kg.

Avonlea, Strathdownie, Vic, sold 61 Weeran-bld Angus, 332-359kg, to Miller Whan & John a/c Lindsay, averaging $1095.

Avonlea also sold a draft of 12, 18mo PCAS Herefords, 489kg, which sold at $1410 or $2.88/kg to TFI.

The only feedlotters buying at Friday's sale, TFI bought in excess of 250 steers, including four EU and PCAS Murray Greys, 338kg, at $1080 or $3.20/kg from Cullenya, Wannon, Vic; 11, 12-14mo Angus, 442kg, at $1340 or $3.03/kg from Tildella, Tarpeena, and four 12-14mo Angus, 415kg, at $1200 or $2.89/kg from A&J Sims, Cape Douglas.

Ulonga, Casterton, Vic, sold 15 Dollar Angus-bld 16-17mo steers to Thomas Foods International. Ten steers, 412kg, sold at $1180 or $2.86/kg, and a second draft, 331kg, sold at $970 or $2.93/kg.

Wheal Farms, Thornlea, sold 15 EU and PCAS Angus-crosses, 418kg, at $1300 or $3.11/kg to TFI, while a 383kg second draft of 21 sold at $1250 or $3.26/kg to the Wooding family.

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Oaklea, Kongorong, sold 21, 16-19mo Angus and Angus-crosses, 468kg, at $1370 or $2.93/kg to TFI, with a second draft, 436kg, sold at $1260 or $2.89/kg to Creek Livestock, Mount Gambier.

Scott Creek, Creek Livestock, bought 11 Angus-crosses, 436kg, at $1260 or $2.89/kg and 13 Angus-crosses, 365kg, at $1010 or $2.76/kg, from Bellco, Wallacedale, Vic.

Sarnia Estate, Mingbool, sold 70, 12mo Angus and Angus-crosses, 280-372kg, for an average of $995. Their 372kg top draft sold at $1130 or $3.04/kg to Creek Livestock.

Twistydale, Bray, sold 30 Angus weighing 389-406kg av $1095 to TFI.

Kleenview, Casterton, Vic, sold 55 Nampara and Banquet-blood Angus weighing 332-410kg, av $1131. The top draft sold at $1240 or $3.02/kg to Creek Livestock.

GT Trading, Lucindale, sold 17, 12mo Herefords, 377kg, at $1140 or $3.02/kg to TFI, which also bought their second draft, 335kg, at $920 or $2.74/kg.

Heifers sold to better than expected rates, with 360-450kg heifers making $2.47-$2.90/kg, 320-360kg heifers selling from $1.98-$2.90/kg, 280-320kg from $2.19-$2.93/kg and under 280kg from $1.59-$2.50/kg.

Kleenview sold 27 PCAS Angus heifers, 343-387kg, av $1042. All three pens of Kleenview females were bought by TFI, which paid the top heifer price of the day, shelling out $1100 or $2.90/kg for nine weighing 379kg.

TFI also bought six Angus-crosses, 388kg, at $1080 or $2.78kg from Bellco Wallacedale and 13 Hereford crosses, 332kg, at $860 or $2.59/kg sold by GT Trading, Mount Gambier.

Creek Livestock was also an active buyer in the heifer run, securing 26, 18mo PCAS Nampara and Boonaroo-blood Angus heifers, 378kg, at $1070 or $2.83/kg from Rangelands, Drik Drik, Vic; four 13-14mo Banquet and Taronga-bld Angus-crosses, 371kg, at $1040 or $2.80/kg and five Hereford-crosses, 331kg, at $830 or $2.51/kg from Fairview, Casterton; 21, 12-14mo Euro-cross heifers, 361kg, at $2.94/kg from LC&NR Lucas, Millicent; and six EU Murray Grey heifers, 343kg, at $980 or $2.86/kg from Cullenya, Wannon, Vic.

Regular buyer in the heifer market, Mingbool Station, Mingbool, bought 15 Angus-crosses, 297kg, at $870 or $2.93/kg from RA&YG Hams, Kangaroo Island; and 18, 11-12mo Angus, 336kg, at $965 or $2.87/kg from Talisbrae, Merino.

Belgrave, Mumbannar, sold 14 EU Weeran-bld Angus, 308kg, at $900 or $2.92/kg to Miller Whan & John.

In a small yarding of pregnancy-tested in-calf females and cows and calves, O'Connor & Graney, Mount Gambier, paid $1600 for nine Hereford/Friesian cows with Santa Gertrudis calves at-foot, PTIC to Santa Gertrudis bulls, offered by MT Clay, Heywood, Vic.

M Black, Allendale East, sold seven Angus/Friensian heifers, PTIC to Limousin bulls, at $1500 to O'Connor & Graney, along with a second draft of nine at $1250.

Nangkita, Eight Mile Creek, sold eight Angus second and third calvers, running back to a Nampara-bld Angus bull, with eight Angus calves at-foot at $1400 to Miller Whan & John.

Landmark Keatley's Dale Keatley, Mount Gambier, said although the sale wasn't as solid as last month, it was still a good result with buyers getting good value for money.

"Smaller cattle which are normally held through are being offloaded to free up room for hay paddocks and to stockpile fodder reserves after less than expected growth through the winter," he said.