Colac heifers sought by interstate buyers at April store market sale

Agents yarded about 350 head of steers, heifers and cows and calves, at the Colac Livestock Selling Centre with SA buyers picking up a large number of cattle.

Local agents said Creek Livestock, Mount Gambier, SA, and Elders Jamestown, SA, were strong on the heifers.

"They really set us up," Charles Stewart & Co livestock agent Matt Nelson, Colac, said.

It was "a bit of a tougher market" than March, he said.

"We have just been waiting for a bit of rain, I guess," he said.

"Now we have had a bit in our area, I think the numbers will pick up, from now on.

"I think the results were pretty strong - the better end of the steers probably made 300c/kg and a bit more but I reckon the highlight was the heifers.

"I reckon you would say they were $200 a head dearer than a month ago."

Euro-type heifers made up to 300c/kg, he said.

Nutrien auctioneer Phil Douglas, Colac, said rates for heifers were not far behind those for the steers, due to the SA orders.

Agents drew for 500 head, but one vendor pulled out, due to personal circumstances and the other because he didn't have to sell cattle as the lease on his property was extended.

Recent rain had also prompted producers to hold onto stock, he said.

"The weather may have had a bit to do with it, the urgency has gone out of things in the last fortnight," Mr Douglas said.

Bigger, plainer types of steers "struggled a little bit", while making market value, he said.

"Once you went onto the weaner types, it was pretty good," he said.

He said he didn't expect the usual buyers, when there was only a small yarding.

"There were some spring-drop weaners, they were 315kg, and they made nearly $1100," Mr Douglas said.

"That got them up to a pretty good rate, even though there wasn't a lot of them."

Charles Stewart Howard & Co auctioneer Andrew Dalton, Colac said it was a "very small yarding", with cows and calves topping at $1800.

"We had some pregnancy-tested-in-calf black heifers top at $1350, the best of the weaner steers, 385-390kg, sold for more than $1200."

Mr Dalton said he bought feeder cattle, paying 240c/kg to buy them, against 208c/kg at the last sale.

"It would be 260-280c/kg to buy them, with a nice pen of Limousin heifers pushing out over 300c/kg." Mr Dalton said.

D Lester sold six, 444kg, Moolaboola-blood, Angus steers, for 279c/kg or $1240.

Te Aro sold six, 324kg, 8-10 months, Weeran-blood, Angus steers, for 324c/kg or $1050 to Nutrien.

D Webster sold four, 414kg, 9-11 months, Murdeduke-blood, Angus steers, for 263c/kg or $1090.

M & P Matthews sold two, 378kg, River Recede-blood, Hereford steers, for 280c/kg or $1060 to Creek Livestock.

Prime sold two, 318kg, 10-12 months, Banquet-blood, Angus steers, 324c/kg, for $1030.

L Coop sold three, 322kg, Angus steers, for 320c/kg, or $1030.

Agrifoods Consulting sold 12, 353kg, 12-14 month, Onyx-blood, Red Angus heifers for 260c/kg or $920.

L & B Lauricella sold three 10-12 months, Murdeduke-blood, Angus heifers, for $940.

Prime sold 15, 331kg, 10-12months Banquet-blood, Angus heifers, for 302c/kg.

Te Aro sold five, 328kg, eight-10 months Weeran-blood. Angus heifers, for 280c/kg or $920.

M and P Matthews sold eight, 371kg, River Recede-blood, Hereford heifers, 272c/kg for $1010 to Elders Jamestown.

R and J Goodall sold three, 422kg, Angus heifers, for 229c/kg or $970.

L & B Lauricella sold five by five Murdeduke-blood, Angus cows and calves, for $1050.

J Cassar sold 11 by 11 mixed-age Baringa Park-blood, Angus cows, with one-two months calves at foot, for $1050.