PROCESSORS and lot feeders dictated prices at the Colac heifer weaner sale today.
Those prices were conservative and held tightly in a range of $1.60 to $1.75/kg,
Very few pens were bought by restockers for breeding.
Most of the yarding of 1450 autum-drop weaners were bought for immediate processing or for backgrounding for finishing on grain.
Tony Monkovitch who was buying for the Kyneton processor Hardwicks or its clients was typical of the demand accounting for 180 head.
"About 40 will go for immediate processing while the rest will be backgrounded before being finished on grain," Mr Monkovitch said.
He said the prices were on a par with the prime market markets.
Mr Monkovitch was paying $1.65 to $1.70/kg for heifers 260-300kg.
Other processors buying included Woodwards of Swan Hill and Collinson
The Jalna, Hellsgate and Charlton feedlots were also prominent paying around the $1.65/kg mark.
Topping the heifer weaners at $650 prices were 29 Red Angus sold on account of the Failey family from Apollo Bay. These 329 10-month-old weaners were bought by Leongatha cattle breeder Brian Kentwell, who admitted to being a return client of the Fairley Red Angus.
The best of the Angus prices at $610 was achieved by J Merkelbach's 9 weaners weighing 348kg.
Apart from the top lots bought by breeder, prices for most of the offerign ranged from $450-$550.
Colac's heifer sale also included 370 joined cows including a herd dispersal of 146 Angus cows on account of Gilmour Pastoral.
Despite two buoyant prices of $1310 and $1010 for 46 second-calver Gilmour cows the Colac sale struggled to clear joined cows and heifers for more than $850.
"When you are coming out of a drought, you struggle to sell joined cows," said Stewarts Dove auctioneer Terry Dove.
