Last week’s Wednesday Baw Baw Livestock Exchange fat sale saw 279 head, and the Thursday bull and cow sale saw 19 bulls and 726 cows.
As the yardings remain smaller in numbers and condition starts to ease off, prices for the secondary cattle slip each week and ease prices across most categories.
Last week saw some lighter heifers and steers with re-stockers prominent in these areas and all are watching their wallets, with the cold weather here and supplementary feed costs across the winter months.
Well finished vealers are still achieving very good prices across all yardings, and managed a lift in the average this week with a top of 396.6 cents.
Four bullocks topped at 312.2 cents, back 14, and averaged 288 cents, up 14 cents, 29 heifers topped at 321.2 cents, back seven cents, and averaged 262.4 cents, back 18 cents.
Thirty steers topped at 326.6 cents, back 29 cents, and averaged 276.8 cents, back 16 cents, 204 veal topped at 396.6 cents, up three cents, and averaged 343.8 cents, up three cents.
There was a very big jump in numbers on Thursday with 758 head yarded, an increase of 290 head, the only problem was there were two major buyers missing and this caused a slump in competition and eased prices.
Nineteen bulls reached 278.2 cents with the average easing 15 cents at 251.3 cents.
The big jump for the day was cows with 726 head penned. The top cow price was 270 cents, back 42 cents on last week, and the week’s average was 171.9 cents, back 35 cents.
The agent quote was beef cattle back 20 cents, heavy dairy cows 15-20 cents easier and light dairy back 20-30 cents.
The draw for 10 and 11 May 2017: 1, Gibbon; 2, Landmark; 3, SEJ; 4, Scotts; 5, Elders.
Vealers
One, Limo X, Farugia and Blaney, Winnindoo, 340 kilograms, 396.6 cents per kilogram, $1348; 1, Limo X, N and O Mason, Jindivick, 390, 395.2, $1541; 1, Limo, T Lissenden, Neerim, 400, 380, $1520; 1, Char D and W Beilharz, Lang Lang, 370, 380, $1406; 1, Limo, J and L Oldham, Neerim, 355, 379.6, $1347; 1, Simm X, The Buskers Club, Yarragon, 405, 378, $1530.
Steers
Two, Char, D Tomasetti, Drouin, 475, 326.6, $1551; 1, B/Baldy, M Hourigan, Glengarry, 465, 325.2, $1512; 4, Simm X, G,H and E Kestle, Lardner, 460, 324.2, $1491; 5, Angus X, M Cummins, Lillico, 508, 313.6, $1591.
Heifers
One, Simm X, G,H and E Kestle, Lardner, 460, 321.2, $1477; 2, Char, D Tomasetti, Drouin, 403, 307.6, $1238.
Export cows and heifers
Three, Angus X, D and S King, Flynn, 495, 270, $1336; 1, Angus, Eden Park, Brandy Creek, 645, 269.6, $1738; 1, Angus, E Jones, Tanjil Sth, 585, 267.6, $1565; 1, Simm, A and B Rhodes, Shady Creek, 620, 258.6, $1603; 1, Angus, I and A Savige, Cloverlea, 520, 253.6, $1318.
Dairy cows
One, Frie, S Garvey, Modella, 555, 220, $1221; 3, Frie, C and M Young, Neerim, 713, 212, $1512; 1, Frie, C and D Upston, Drouin, 655, 212, $1388; 1, Frie, S and L Finger, Yannathan, 635, 200, $1270.
Bullocks
One, Frie, P Rhodes, Shady Creek, 615, 244.6, $1504; 8, Frie, D Armstrong, Gainsborough, 453, 228.6, $1035.
Bulls
One, Jersey, Hedrick Farms, Ellibank, 630, 217.2, $1368.
