Mixed offering at Leongatha Store Sale

A RUN of 190 heifers from Tarwin Lower’s Jasmel Nominees was among the highlights of Thursday’s Leongatha Store Sale, the total yarding consisting of 2,329 head.

It’s uncertain how many cattle didn’t make it to market due to the current wet conditions in local paddocks but one livestock agent Sentinel-Times spoke to had numbers reduced for that reason.

SEJ auctioneer Jimmy Kyle described the Jasmel cattle as “an excellent run of heifers”.

“They’re renowned cattle in the local area for future feedlot performance,” he said, those heifers all having been bought locally with that in mind 10 to 12 months ago, being snapped up by feedlot buyers on Thursday.

Feedlot buyers included Glenavon, and Westside Meats, with commission buyer  Campbell Ross highly active.

All those buyers picked up some of the Jasmel Nominees heifers, Mr Ross also buying a number of pens of cattle on Thursday for Yea-based agency Victorian Livestock & Property that is represented every week at the Leongatha Store Sale and clearly has plenty of orders to fill.

The Jasmel Nominees cattle achieved a top per kilo price of $5.36 for 20 Angus heifers weighed at 429 kilos and selling for $2,300 a head, with a few other pens of Jasmel Angus heifers being similarly weighted and priced.

All black heifers from that vendor made over $5 a kilo.

A pen of Jasmel Nominees Charolais cross heifers averaging 439 kilos achieved $5.01 per kilo, knocked down for $2,200 to Campbell Ross, while Westside Meats picked up nine of the vendor’s Speckle Park cross heifers for $2,150 each or $4.98 a kilo for an average weight of 431 kilos.

Jasmel Nominees also sold Hereford heifers, a pen of 12 weighed at 426 kilos making $5.04 per kilo at $2,150 a head.

With the vendor also running a sheep breeding operation, it is an ideal time to make some room to start lambing down the ewes, with getting cattle off the currently saturated paddocks an added benefit.

Mr Kyle felt Thursday’s prices were pretty much on par with others around Victoria this week, being firm in most categories, suggesting lower cattle numbers were consistent with expectations for Winter.

Among Thursday’s highlights on the steer side were Angus cattle from J & S Kelly of Poowong East, auctioneer Brian McCormack saying they need no introduction with buyers aware of their quality, and that those who have had their cattle before will do so again.

The 17 Kelly steers weighed at 302 kilos made $5.99 a kilo at $1,810 a head, while a pen of lighter steers from the vendor that averaged 265 kilos hit $6.71 a kilo at $1,780.

Those Kelly steers featured JB and Millah Murrah blood, also being Never Ever accredited.

MLA Market Reporter Brendan Fletcher said of Thursday’s overall offering, “Quality declined with fewer straight bred lots and a larger proportion of crossbreds and wintry-looking cattle.”

He reported that, “Purchases heading outside the supply area were limited to feedlot orders,” labelling that sector as less competitive than has been the case recently and noting that heavy Angus feeder steers eased $120 a head.

“Softening Winter demand and quality affected averages, with the small selection of well-bred weaners holding firm while secondary lots eased in all categories,” Mr Fletcher said.