WITH two yardings of 4,600 and 4,400 cattle this month at the Victorian Livestock Exchange (VLE) at Leongatha spring is looking good for local farmers.
Records continued to tumble last week as store cattle dominated yardings.
Strong prices and the usual seasonal turnoff combined to drive record yardings at the VLE delivering the second largest August throughput on record.
Spring still hangs in the balance across most of Gippsland but on the Bass Coast good rain and a few warm nights have seen pastures shoot away.
A total of 20,579 cattle were sold through the VLE in August with store stock making up 61 per cent of the yarding, a significant lift from July when store cattle accounted for just 52 per cent of the 21,206 head yarded.
Store numbers increased 33 per cent from 17,749 to 23,588 head as producers looked to capitalise on strong prices after a tough season.
Ian Hornby of Trafalgar was more than happy to get $2,910/head for a single pen of angus steers averaging 538.57kg.
“An excellent sale,” said Elders Agent Graeme Brettley.
“We still need more rain,” said Ian Hornby.
“We’d take two inches every week.”
Seaspray farmer Danna and young son Logan received $2,680/head for their pen of angus steers averaging $560kg.
“It’s still very dry in Seaspray, we need more train,” said Danna.
“We’re down to our last two bales of hay.”
Elders Agent and grazier Jayden Boulton agreed with Danna.
“We need rain.
“I had to buy in feed, I’m out of hay and silage.”
Another pen averaging 575kg sold for $2,400/head.
With Bass Coast one of the few areas to see spring pasture growth Kilcunda farmer Andrew Harmon bought a pen of nine month old angus weaners.
“Spring has arrived at Kilcunda, so I’ll fatten them up to 500kg,”said Andrew.
“Rainfall has been OK, but it was very dry for the five to six weeks previous.
“It’s expensive to re-stock, you just have to be patient.”
According to livestock agents large numbers of cattle are being bought to be taken into feedlots depending on their size, driven by a strong demand from domestic markets due to a continued shortage of cattle in Northern NSW.
The dry summer, autumn and winter has left calves at the Victorian Livestock Exchange weighing up to 30–40kg less than last year but stronger prices have kept producers ahead.
Steers averaging 419kg sold for 447c/kg to return $1873 in August.
A year earlier, steers were nearly 13kg heavier but made just 332c/kg for an average $1433/head.
Auctioneer Brian McCormack (Nutrien) said improved prime market prices were drawing cattle off farm and flowing through to the store market.
“The EYCI (Eastern Young Cattle Indicator) is higher than this time last year and there are a lot of things driving the market price up,” he said.
“This will probably continue a little longer, but ultimately the season will determine supply and that will flow through to price.”
McCormack said the Victorian Livestock Exchange had built its reputation as a store complex over the past five years, and this was contributing to the number of cattle travelling across Gippsland to be sold at Leongatha.
The latest Victorian Livestock Exchange Market Insight can be found at vle.com.au/publications/newsletters/