Leongatha cattle sale features CJ Pendergast, Elm Valley cattle

Agents yarded more than 3700 cattle for the fortnightly store sale at the Victorian Livestock Exchange where a handful of vendors headlined the market.

Vendors were generally pleased with prices paid for 2022-drop calves, with one major seller indicating his draft sold for 30 cents a kilogram more compared to his pre-sale estimation.

Among the feature lines was the annual draft of 310 Angus and Black Baldy mixed-sex calves, nine months, consigned by John and Nola Ross, trading as CJ Pendergast, Omeo Station, Benambra, which sold to a top price of $1500 a head.

The top-priced pen of 19 steers, 374 kilograms, averaged 401c/kg and was bought by Teys Charlton Feedlot.

Twenty-four Ross-bred steers, 326kg, made $1490 or 457c/kg, 22 steers, 348kg, sold for $1450 or 416c/kg and 22 steers, 320kg, made $1400 or 437c/kg.

Omeo Station also sold 15 Angus heifers, 355kg, for $1380 or 388c/kg, eight Angus and Black Baldy heifers, 340kg, for $1400 or 411c/kg, 21 Angus heifers, 304kg, for $1340 or 440c/kg and 23 heifers, 290kg, for $1340.

Agent Jason Fry, Elders Leongatha and Korumburra, bought 65 Angus steers from the Ross family on behalf of a bullock fattener at Warragul.

The Western family, trading as Elm Valley, Tarwin, also sold their annual draft of 399 Angus and Black Baldy steers, seven and eight months, to a top price of $1450.

The top-priced pen of 25 steers, 300kg, made $1450 or 483c/kg and was bought by Neerim Junction bullock fattener Lyall Howard who supplies beef to JBS.

Elders Leongatha and Korumburra branch manager Rohan McRae said the sale was on par with previous markets.

"The market was firm on other markets and our previous April sale," he said.

"Feedlots operated on all the feedlot-weighted cattle, but graziers kept them honest.

"There are still holes in the market on the secondary cattle and that means it's a bit harder to move them on."

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Elm Valley also sold 25 steers, 315kg, for $1380 or 438c/kg, 25 steers, 287kg, for $1310 or 456c/kg, 25 steers, 280kg, for $1310 or 467c/kg and 25 steers, 274kg, for $1300 or 474c/kg.

The Seabrook family, Korumburra, were among the major and return buyers of the Elm Valley cattle, securing 92 steers across four pens.

Vendor Phil Western said his draft of steers sold 30-40ck/kg higher compared to what he was expecting prior to the sale.

J Giliam, Ashdale, Dumbalk, sold his annual draft of 102 Angus steers, eight and nine months, including 20 steers, 272kg, for $1340 or 492c/kg, 20 steers, 260kg, for $1270 or 488c/kg, 23 steers, 241kg, for $1170 or 485c/kg and 20 steers, 236kg, for $890 or 377c/kg.

The top pen was bought by SEJ Leongatha agent Neil Parke for a bullock fattener at Leongatha.

J & K Hilliar, Riverview, Mirboo, also sold their annual draft of 80 Angus steers, eight and nine months, to a top price of $1290.

The draft included 23 steers, 280kg, for $1290 or 460c/kg, 22 steers, 278kg, for $1280 or 460c/kg, 18 steers, 255kg, for $1040 or 407c/kg and 17 steers, 257kg, for $1030 or 400c/kg.

The four pens were bought by SEJ Leongatha agents Brian Kyle and Owen Kindellan, who bought two pens respectively, for backgrounders in Leongatha and Foster.

Feedlots including Thomas Foods International, Keswick Pastoral and Hopkins River Beef were also active throughout the sale.

Nutrien South Gippsland Livestock manager Brian McCormack said the heavier end of the sale was the strongest, underpinned by return and volume buyers.

"I thought they were another 5-10c/kg dearer than a fortnight ago, along with those feeder cattle which made 415-425c/kg," he said.

"People returned to buy the same cattle they buy each year, and the fewer buyers who missed out on their regular moved onto the next lines and that really strengthened the sale."

G & J Tuckett sold 16 Angus heifers, 400kg, for $1660 or 400c/kg and 15 Angus heifers, 358kg, for $1460 or 407c/kg.

Scanlon sold 18 Angus heifers, 324kg, for $1240 or 382c/kg and 16 Angus heifers, 283kg, for $1050 or 371c/kg.

Dividing Creek Farm, Fish Creek, sold 18 steers, 376kg, for $1500 or 398c/kg and 17 steers, 350kg, for $1380 or 394c/kg.

P Fox, Yinnar, sold eight steers, 634kg, for $2350 or 370c/kg.

Rodney and Coral Donat, Wonthaggi, sold 15 steers, 338kg, for $1530 or 452c/kg.