IT was a little hard to make head or tail of the smaller market of young cattle at VLE Pakenham, as the competition was all over the place.
There was an extra buyer present for some cattle, but one less for some other grades, and coupled with mixed responses from all other regular buyers, prices were from four cents per kilogram dearer to six cents per kilogram cheaper.
There were fewer of the top quality vealers penned, and there was a larger percentage of the yarding that were heavy yearling and older steers.
Demand was strong for the better quality vealers, but the quality and weight of the calves was more mixed this week.
While most of the B muscle vealers made from 190 cents to 225 cents, there were isolated sales of excellent quality that made to 237.6 cents per kilogram.
The demand from lot feeders varied throughout the sale, which saw less competition for some classes of cattle, but stronger demand for others.
This saw most of the C muscle cattle purchased by both the trade and lot feeders make between 160 cents and 186 cents with the best quality lighter weight calves to 204 cents per kilogram.
Yearling steers and heifers were well represented in the sale with a lot of good to very good quality steers penned. A large number of the steers weighed from 460 kilograms to over 600 kilograms liveweight, and made from 158 cents to 178 cents per kilogram.
There were some top quality supplementary fed yearlings penned that made up to 233 cents per kilogram. A run of better quality heifers set buyers back between 148 cents and 175 cents with supplementary fed to 200 cents per kilogram.
Plain shape D muscle cattle struggled at times to make the rates of the previous week with most making from 135 cents to 165 cents per kilogram.
The VLE draw for the week commencing Monday 6 April is as follows: 1, Elders; 2, Mick Hornsby; 3, Alex Scott; 4, Landmark; 5, Rodwells; 6, Nathan Gibbon; 7, Everitt and Seeley; 8, SEJ.
The next store sale is 2 April commencing at 10am.
Vealers
Eight, A. Cardomone, Clyde, 300 kilograms, 215.2 cents per kilogram, $650; 12, B. H. and L. M. Seebeck, Pakenham, 389, 210, $817.59; 14, K. Couch, Bass, 388, 205.9, $799.91; 21, Kindergen, Welshpool, 361, 201.4, $726.13; 16, J. and K. Campbell, Toora, 389, 194.9, $758.35; 21, Milvan Farms, Thorpedale, 317, 193.1, $612; 10, J. C. Nolan, Five Ways, 264, 191, $504.30; 12, A. and T. Ireland, Glen Forbes, 353, 190, $671; 28, D’Alberto Farms, Lang Lang, 360, 188.6, $678; 15, W. F. Wilson, Glen Forbes, 369, 188, $694.79; 10, A. and H. A. Overeem, Caldermeade, 334, 183.7, $614.55; 18, J. D. and K. Campbell, Toora, 380, 182.3, $693.41; 30, B. and A. J. Cornwall, Thorpedale, 412, 180.6, $744; 17, G. A. and W. A. Watkins, Yannakie, 385, 179.6, $690.78.
Steers
Twenty seven, P. Horan, Airly, 589, 172.1, $1014.15; 15, D. and Y. Pike, Neerim Junction, 538, 171.6, $923.21; 31, M. A. and O. J. Stuchberry, Glen Alvie, 502, 171.1, $858.62; 26, Robinson Grazing P/Ship, Toomuc Valley, 429, 169.5, $727.76; 12, O. Valenti, Tooradin, 415, 168.4, $700; 38, Robin Williams, Flowerdale, 425, 166.6, $708.71; 2, V. Surace, Keysborough, 597, 166, $993; 12, K. and K. Huxtable, Cardinia, 540, 164.8, $891.17; 36, J. Hajder, Wesburn, 431, 164.6, $710; 14, D’Alberto Farms, Lang Lang, 525, 164.2, $863.
Heifers
Twenty three, J. and S. Heenan, Warragul, 460, 175, $805; 12, L. and B. Jones, Fish Creek, 405, 168.8, $683.53; 11, G. and K. King, Woodside, 435, 168, $730.07; 6, Ellerslei Park, Fish Creek, 464, 166.9, $774.66; 24, S. M. and G. R. Willmott, Cardinia, 407, 160, $652; 4, Curdesy Park, Lang Lang, 541, 157.6, $853.
Bullocks
Eight, G. L. and E. M. Salvestrin, Moorooduc, 605, 167.6, $1014; 10, TELJ Ent, Jeetho, 621, 167, $1037.07; 9, A. Symons, Monomeith, 567, 165.2, $936; 9, Ganna Warra Past., Balnarring, 714, 164, $1172; 10, K. L. and K. J. Batchelor, Bunyip, 656, 163.2, $1070.69; 7, R. and V. Bourke, Monomeith, 592, 162.7, $963; 14, Ross Webb, Trafalgar, 647, 160.2, $1036.16.
