Feedlot operators maintained their stronghold on Pakenham's store sale on Thursday with most feeder-weight cattle bought by only a select group of buyers during the fortnightly market.
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Agents yarded 3200 cattle and reverted back to selling cattle through the pens - as opposed to through the ring - as social distancing restrictions remained in force.
Only professional buyers and agents representing clients were permitted to enter the saleyards during a market where most of the cattle sold left the region, mainly to northern Victoria and NSW.
Feedlot competition stepped up a notch on the previous sale with Wagga Wagga-based commission buyer Ben O'Kane buying about 500 cattle for Charlton Feedlot in north-central Victoria.
Commission buyer Duncan Brown, also Wagga Wagga, returned to Pakenham, purchasing well-bred lines of steers and heifers for restocking, as did Wanagratta-based Corcoran Parker agent Justin Keane who was buying cattle to go back onto grass.
Other volume buyers included Des Grant, Warrnambool, who was representing an Inverell, NSW, agent who was looking for light steers and heifers as well as heavy feeder-weight cattle.
It was Mr Grant's first time at Pakenham in three years.
Northern Victoria Livestock agent Jayden Ferrari bought more than 120 feeder cattle to return to the paddock while regular commission buyers Campbell Ross, Denis Henderson and Anthony Hullick were also active.
Elders Melbourne livestock operations manager Ron Rutledge purchased more than 80 cattle for clients in the Tamworth/Gunnedah, NSW, area in the first two hours of the sale.
Buyers were mostly complimentary of the quality of cattle on offer as West Gippsland continues to experience regular and much-welcomed rain.
Local agents said the sale maintained its buoyancy of previous markets with feeder-weight cattle taking a 10-15 cent a kilogram rise in some places due to increased competition.
C Love, Riddells Creek, sold the dearest pen of the day with a pen of 24 grown steers, 628kg, which made $2390 or 380c/kg.
Dovercliff Pty Ltd, Springfield, sold 20 steers, 551kg, for $2130 or 386c/kg.
Among the dearest pens on a per kilogram basis, J Fry, Riverglen Pastoral, Bunyip, sold a pen of 27 Angus calves, weaned about two weeks ago, which weighed 235kg, and made $1200 or 510c/kg.
N Henwood, Garfield, sold 17 steers, 235kg, for $1140 or 485c/kg.
Ostlers Hill sold 18 nine-month-old steers, 278kg, for $1290 or 464c/kg.
Nutrien Ag Solutions Pakenham store sale auctioneer Andy Grant majority of the cattle were purchased by feedlot operators from outside the region.
"The strength is in the north and commission buyers have been coming down for the last month or six weeks and have really put a floor in our sales and put up a lot of competition against local buyers," Mr Grant said.
Lighter steers which weighed between 270-310kg made between 420-440c/kg on average while feeder-steers ranged from 390-435c/kg.
In the heifers, D and R Hardy, Ripplebrook, sold 19 Red Angus heifers, 301kg, for $1335 or 443c/kg.
FR and BJ Murcott, Yannathan, sold 20 heifers, 328kg, for $1300 or 396c/kg.
Alex Scott & Staff Pakenham livestock manager David Setches estimated feeder-weight cattle took a rise of between 10-15c/kg.
"We saw these mid-400kg steers and steers over 500kg back over 400c/kg and last fortnight they were making below that rate," Mr Setches said.
"It only makes you speculate what prices could reach in the spring because we're only about to enter winter and it's already wet ... so it's looking very promising for us."
Nathan Gibbon Livestock owner Nathan Gibbon said the sale included good lines cattle with weight.
The Breen Pty Ltd, Romsey, sold 17 steers, 509kg, for $2000 or 392c/kg.
M Shine, Wollert, sold 15 steers, 451kg, for $1850 or 410c/kg.
Hazelglen Partnership, Arthurs Creek, sold 20 steers, 378kg, for $1640 or 433c/kg.
KH Pastoral, Mickleham, sold 10 steers, 416kg, for $1750 or 420c/kg.
B Henwood, Bravington, sold seven steers, 310kg, for $1330 or 429c/kg.
I Ridgeway, Cardinia, sold 15 steers, 432kg, for $1830 or 423c/kg.
Black Forest Pastoral, Werribee, sold 21 steers, 308kg, for $1350 or 450c/kg.
M Wheeler, Whittlesea, sold 16 steers, 297kg, for $1290 or 434c/kg.
RPT Winch, Drouin West, sold 12 steers, 495kg, for $2020 or 400c/kg.
Carrington Park, Drouin South, sold 20 heifers, 455kg, for $1790 or 393c/kg.
Langley Farms sold 13 heifers, 318kg, for $1220 or 383c/kg.
G Powell, Flinders, sold 14 steers, 566kg, for $2100 or 371c/kg.