A YARDING of 2500 cattle attracted strong bidding at Hamilton independent agent Kerr and Co's annual spring feature sale.
Prices matched Ballarat's spring sale last week, according to agents, and exceeded expectations of vendors, many of whom yarded heavier-than-usual cattle.
The pace on the heavy steers was set by processors, T&R Pastoral's Mark Randell and JBS Australia's Barry Wilson.
Heavy steers, 400-520kg, made 187-211c/kg, or up to $1003.
Prestonholme, Strathkellar sold 18 Angus steers, 18-19 months, 512kg for 196c/kg or $1003.
An excellent line of EU-accredited Murray Greys, sold by Greenhills, 16-18 months, sold to $1002 for 20 steers, 482kg, at 208c/kg bought by T&R Pastoral.
The Satchell family, Grosvenor, sold 20 Angus steers, 14-15 months, at 456kg for 207c/kg or $944 also to T&R.
Other buyers came from grass finishers from Casterton, the local Hamilton region and the south east of South Australia, from Horsham feedlotters and Gippsland grass fatteners.
Terry Ginnane, Landmark Leongatha, bought 200 head for five clients.
He paid from 190-218c/kg for lighter weight steers weighing about 400kg.
"My clients will grow them out for Jap-bullocks for 12-18 months," he said.
"Prices were right up here and the current market, especially as it is looking to ease back.
"We've just got a lot of grass at the moment. Feedlotters and processors were either the buyer or the under-bidder here today, they really drove it," he said.
"I don't think prices were much different to Ballarat."
He also bought a handful of heifers, to fatten, for 216c/lg at 320kg.
Agent Michael Kerr said the EU cattle attracted a strong premium today.
Buyers from Wando Bridge, Andrew and Juddie Beaton bought the Murroa East steers for the third year in a row.
This year they bought 52 of the Weeran-blood Angus steers, 389kg for 229c/kg or $890/head.
They will grow them out for 12 months. Last year they paid 217kg for the calves, which then weighed about 360kg.
"We expected to pay this much today," Andrew said.
"We're selling bullock so no, the price doesn't worry us too much."
He said the conditions around Casterton were good but some rain this week would be welcome.
The Beatons also bought 33 Toora West Angus-Charolias steers, for 213c/kg, or $894, weighing 414kg.
Coleraine's Alex Baulch, Mt Koroite sold 95 Toora West-blood Angus steers .
Some of his best pens made $913/hd for 20 Angus steers, 419kg, 218c/kg.
Former Weekly Times writer Alan Vizard judged and awarded the best presented pen award to the Satchell family, Grosvenor at Condah.
Tim, Felicity, Ken and Barb sold 20 Angus steers, 14-15 months, weighing 456kg for 207c/kg or $944/head also to T&R Pastoral.
Maureen Heenan, Belmont Farms, Mt Richmond, sold 25 Angus-cross steers, 16-18 months old, 492kg, for 195c/kg or $959/head and a further 20 Angus steers of the same age, 513kg, for 190c/kg or $974.
Richard Mann, Langulac, sold 130 Angus steers for an average of $840/head.
Paul and Carolyn Malseed, Orana, again attracted some of the top prices for Herefords.
They sold 53 steers weighing 345-390kg and 20 heifers.
"We don't normally sell now but we've had some issues with flooding and there is a lot of black mud around so we decided to sell," Paul said.
Their pens included 18 EU-accredited Hereford steers, 390kg, which fetched 220c/kg or $858/head, bought by T&R Pastoral.
