BEEF weaner prices came under pressure at Casterton today with only one pen selling for more than $700 at the Elders sale of 2800 cattle.
Haven Park sold 22 EU-accredited and weaned Hereford steers with a liveweight of 398kg and price of 180c/kg to come out at $716.
Most other weaned EU Hereford steers from 325kg to 380kg made from 170c/kg to 180c/kg or $560 to $660 a head.
The 250kg to 320kg Herefords made from 161c/kg to 183c/kg or $360 to $578. The exception was Woranga's 41 282 Hereford steers that sold for 194c/kg or $547 to an Elders Mt Gambier client.
The heavier Angus steer weaners, EU accredited and weanered, made to 187c/kg or $683 for Retreat's 21 365kg calves, with most other 325kg to 380kg black steers making from 165c/kg to 183c/kg or $535 to $660.
Retreat also sold 24 354kg Angus steers for 188c/kg or $666. The 250kg to 320kg Angus steers made from 165c/kg to 173c/kg or $440 to $565.
Euro cross steers made to $673 for Rosebank's line of 28 374kg Hereford-Simmental crosses. Others in a 320kg to 375kg range made from 160c/kg to 170c/kg or $536 to $627.
Cattle that were not EU accredited suffered a discount of up to 15-20c/kg and unweaned cattle also met no demand from feedlots or were docked 5-12 c/kg to be sold only to grass restockers.
Competition came from the Charlton and Hopikins River feedlots, and NSW bullock finisher Paul Mason, Coola Station Kongorong SA, Injemira Beef Genetics at Wagga, Alex Scott and Co from Warragul, Rodwells Horsham, Princess Royal feedlot plus grass finishers from south-west Victoria, south-east South Australia, Kyneton and Bathurst
Neither the Kidman feedlot at Burra nor trade buyers like T&R Pastoral and Westside Meats operated but the Charlton feedlot supported the sale across a broad range.
Elders Casterton manager John Lawson said the "market is talking - your cattle have got to be EU, black and weaned" to avoid discounts.
"All the buyers were there and they watched," he said.
