BUYERS stepped up to the plate at Pakenham, Victoria, today to support fire-ravaged farmers make reasonable money from stock they have been forced to sell.
National Livestock Reporting Service reporter Peter Kostas said one farmer from Labertouche who had lost everything, including his home, was forced to sell all his stock today.
"I thought the processor buyers did a good job today given, given the circumstances," he said.
"As (the) buyers extended themselves to help (the) producer whose property was wiped out in the fire, the sale took on a different trend and prices were mostly unchanged to 6c/kg dearer."
This result is in contrast to the current, downward trend in prices, particularly on young and restocking cattle, throughout southern Australia.
Mr Kostas said "hundreds" of extra cattle were sold today due to the fires.
While the farmer did his best to put on a brave face, Mr Kostas said his anguish was apparent.
Trucks were unable to get cattle down to the sale from the Kinglake area but more fire-affected cattle were expected to be delivered to the market in the coming week.
"Processors may try to lift their kill-rates, if they can, but it becomes a question of whether they physically can," he said.
At the sale today 1776 head were sold, and some excellent quality vealers were penned, and these B muscle calves made from 170c to 195.2c/kg with some very heavy vealers sold weighing up to 530kg.
Other C muscle vealers made between 146c to 175c and a number of reasonable to good quality D muscle calves made from 135c to 147c/kg.
Included in the sale were some very good quality grainfed cattle which sold very well considering their weight. Prices were between 174c and 193.2c/kg with a number weighing in the mid 400kg range.
Other good quality yearling steers made from 150c to 175c with similar heifers between 145c and 166c/kg. Lot feeders purchased a good number of the steers and heifers penned between 140c and 170c/kg.
There were a few sales of grown steers that were of good to very good quality from 152c to 160c, and a small number of grown heifers made between 140c and 157c/kg.
