The run of large yardings at Mortlake has continued, with agents offering nearly 4500 head at the July monthly store sale.
Western Victoria Livestock Exchange staff and agents yarded 4424 cattle.
Agents said fewer feedlot buyers were active, due to difficulties coming from South Australia due to coronavirus travel restrictions, but that didn't affect prices.
Southern Grampians Livestock and Real Estate's Glenn Judd said commission buyer Duncan Brown was also a big buyer, picking up stock for clients in southern NSW and northern Victoria.
Agents said Mr Brown would have picked up about a quarter of the yarding, for Ray White, Albury, and northern Victorian agents.
"There were a few bids on Auctions Plus, which would have been feedlotters," Mr Judd said.
"It was very hard to get across from South Australia and we couldn't get to Mt Gambier."
But, despite that, he said the sale "went through the roof," on most categories.
Only heavier cattle softened in price.
"Some of the feedlots have enough big cattle, they are only just selecting some of the better quality ones," Mr Judd said.
Agents said prices for heavier cattle were down about 15-20cents, on the previous month, but smaller stock sold extremely well.
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More than 310 buyers registered for the sale, with eight putting in more than 240 bids between them.
Moyne Falls Partnership had a large offering of cattle with 47 weighed weaner steers and 219 weaner heifers on offer.
Their top pen made $980, or 570 cents/kilogram, with the balance making from $855 per head to $980 per head.
JHW Patterson and Sons also presented a large offering of weaner steers, which topped at $1250, or 459c/kg, or $1250.
The balance made from 441c/kg-446c/kg.
There were 661 Grown Steers on offer with the majority making from 380c/kg to 410c/kg with a top of $2131, or 420c/kg a head.
Weaner seers topped at $1670, or 469c/kg, averaging from 410c/kg-440c/kg.
Open auction steers made from $1000 to $1400 per head, between 440-480c/kg, and topping at 570c/kg.
The majority of grown heifers made 360-390c/kg, with a top of 410c/kg.
A smaller offering of weighed heifer weaners made from 370c-410c/kg, with the top pen going under the hammer for 428c/kg.
Open auction heifers made from $800 to $1100 per head, with the top pen selling for $1250 per head.
There was just short of 100 cows and calves on offer today with a pen of 14 Red Angus topping at $2850.
The bulk of the cows and calves made between $1900-$2300 per head on average.
Mr Judd said the heifer job was "unbelievable."
He said buyers included Hardwicks, Duncan Brown and Thomas Foods International.
"They were bought as backgrounders, for feedlots, I don't think there were as many bought, for breeders."
"We thought the job could have been 20-40c/kg cheaper, on the quality, but it only eased a small amount."
He said agents felt with winter starting to set in, cattle were looking a bit 'woollier and furrier."
Coronavirus travel difficulties and poorer quality led to concerns the market would be softer.
"We were quietly amazed and very happy - if anyone complains about the prices they need a kick up the bum,."
Elder's Bruce Redpath said heavier cattle had eased in price, with fewer feedlot buyers in evidence.
"Grown cattle, in places, were 15-20cents/kilogram cheaper than last month, but young cattle remained very firm.
"Feedlots were there, but not as strong as they were previously.
"'m just thinking a couple of northern buyers have met their requirements."
Matthew Baxter, Charles Stewart, said what started with a booking of 2700 head swelled before the sale began.
"The good prices are dragging the cattle out, and the weather's been kind," Mr Baxter said.
"We are bound to get wet in August, so they are taking good prices now and not having to carry stock through the next six weeks."
Lines of spring drop weaners, cows and calves and little cattle sold exceptionally well.
"I don't know where they keep coming from, but the proof is in the pudding, with the results at our store sales - they speak for themselves.
"They're drawing numbers out, from far and wide."
Jack Hickey, JM Ellis & Co said a lot of the cattle would have gone over the border, into NSW.
"There were a few cattle, that stayed locally," he said.
"There wasn't the quality in the grown steers, as there was at the last sale
"But there was a better run of general weaners and spring drop calves, which sold accordingly."
Conditions in the region meant locals felt confident enough to buy.
'We are not wet, at all, really," Mr Hickey said.
LJ Hamilton and Weston sold five Angus weaner steers, nine-10 months old, 262kg, for $1300, or 496c/kg.
Salt Creek Pastoral sold a pen of 19 Barwidgee-blood Angus steers, 278kg, 9-10 months old, for $1130, or 478c/kg.
Wongamin farms sold 22 Angus steers, 222kg, 10-months old, for $1040, or 468c/kg.
MJ and MT Dillon sold a pen of 21 Angus steers, 12-months old, 380kg, for $1607, or 423c/kg.
The Dillons also sold a pen of four Angus steers, 293kg, for $1218, or 416c/kg.
Rifle Ridge Beef sold a pen of seven 16-month-old Poll Hereford steers, 400kg, for $1548, or 387c/kg.
Patricks day Holdings sold 33 Angus-Hereford-cross steers for $1730, or 410c/kg.
The Dillons also sold a pen of four Angus steers, 293kg, for $1218, or 416c/kg.
W Woods sold a pen of 13 Angus, Angus/Hereford-cross and Angus/Shorthorn cross steers, 263kg, for $1099, or 418c/kg.
P Crow sold a pen of 13 Angus steers, 292kg, for $1241, or 425c/kg.
Pye Lee sold 17 Angus steers, 274kg, for $1241, or 453c/kg.
N&C Symons sold a pen of 14 Dollar-blood Angus steers, 307kg, for $1369, or 446c/kg.
N&J Lillie sold a pen of 22 Banquet and Wolbul blood Angus/Hereford-cross steers, 8-10 months old, 305kg, for $1311, or 430c/kg.
Bowdens Point Grazing sold a pen of seven Angus steers, 329kg, for $1414, or 430c/kg.
The Point Pastoral Company sold 14 Angus weaner steers, 324kg, for $1393, or 430c/kg,
P Murrihy sold 18 Angus/Angus cross steers, 9-10 months old, 272kg, for $1210, or 445c/kg.
JHW Patterson and Son sold 32 Vermont blood Angus-cross steers, 8-9 months old, 333kg, for $1468, or 441c/kg.
Silverhill Angus sold a pen of 26 Angus cross steers, 12-14 months old, EU accredited, 274kg, for $1285, or 469c/kg.
Stonyhurst Pastoral Company sold a pen of 16 Shorthorn/Angus-cross, 12-14-month-old steers, for $1505, or 390c/kg.
They also sold 17 Angus and four Angus/Limousin-cross steers, Hazeldean blood, 276kg, for $1300, or 471c/kg.
IR and EB Perry sold a pen of 16 Youndagrange Angus-cross steers, 338kg, for $1400, or 420c/kg.
WJ and HE Beavis sold 34 Pathfinder and Coolana-blood Angus grown steers, 389kg, for $1614, or 415c/kg.
Hunter Richardson Rural sold a pen of 18 grown Angus heifers, 326kg, for $1304, or 400c/kg.
P Jehu sold a pen of six 16-17-month-old Angus heifers, 318kg, for $1246, or 392c/kg.
MJ and MT Dillon sold a pen of 19 grown Angus heifers, 359kg, for $1471, or 410c/kg.
J Haydon Partnership sold a pen of 18, 12-13-month-old Angus weaner heifers, 291kg, for $1172, or 403c/kg.
RG Townsend sold 20 Red Angus heifers, 10-11months old, 265kg, for $1062, or 401c/kg.
DJ and AM Wallace sold a pen of 26 Banquet and Pathfinder-blood Angus heifers, 12-14months old, for $1085, or 406c/kg.
Tesbury Partnership sold 28 Angus/South Devon Coolana-blood weaner heifers, 9-10 months old, 299kg, for $1240, or 415c/kg.
Mildfern sold a pen of eight Angus heifers, 226c/kg, for $1114, or 419c/kg.
IR and EB Perry sold six Youndagrange-blood Angus heifer weaners, 315kg, for $1200, or 380c/kg.
In the cows and calves, MF and KP Dieks sold their first draft of 14 Red Angus, three-four years, with February March CAF, redepastured to a Red Angus bull for $2000.
A second pen of 14, three to four-year-olds, sold for $2850 and another 14 older cattle, five to eight years, went for $2425.
Shannon and KA Richardson sold six Angus-Hereford-cross cows and calf units for $2000.
Como Park Holdings sold five Hereford cows, five to nine years old, with CAF for $2000.
Warrayure Farm Trust sold five Angus second-calvers with CAF for $2140.
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Andrew Miller
I'm a general reporter with Stock & Land, with a special interest in irrigation issues. I completed my cadetship, with the Age, in 1980. Over my career, I've worked for ABC radio news (Mt Isa, Qld) and at provincial and suburban newspapers.
I'm a general reporter with Stock & Land, with a special interest in irrigation issues. I completed my cadetship, with the Age, in 1980. Over my career, I've worked for ABC radio news (Mt Isa, Qld) and at provincial and suburban newspapers.
