Bairnsdale cattle prices fall as agents point to surplus stock

Agents yarded about 1500 cattle at the East Gippsland Livestock Exchange where prices softened by 100 cents a kilogram compared a month ago during the first May sale.

"It was a pretty tough day like everywhere," Nutrien East Gippsland Livestock manager Brad Obst said.

"It's where the market is at the moment, it's certainly been a pretty severe correction to where we were a month or even a fortnight ago."

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Mr Obst said the buying gallery consisted of one feedlot, several South Gippsland agents and a handful of buyers from throughout the Bairnsdale district.

"No one really dominated," he said.

"The cheaper prices are not being driven by seasonal conditions, they're being driven by an over supply of cattle."

Mr Obst said feeder cattle were mixed in quality and breed and sold accordingly.

"The good weaner cattle were making anywhere from $700-$800 through to $1200 with a range in the mid-to-high 300c/kg range," he said.

"The better end of the black heifers sold okay, but once you go into the mixed-breeds and lighter heifers, it became cheap."

Undisclosed lines of Angus steer weaners, 320 kilograms, made $1140 a head or 356c/kg, another pen, 284kg, made $1010 or 356c/kg, while a third pen, 302kg, sold for $1050 or 348c/kg.

Another undisclosed pen of Angus steers, 289kg, made $1000 or 346c/kg while a pen weighing 270kg made $920 or 341c/kg.

Omeo Pastoral, Omeo, sold 10 Hereford steers, 2.5 years, 628kg, for $1880 or 299c/kg.

D Golby, Lindenow South, sold seven Hereford steers, 621kg, for $2080 or 334c/kg and eight steers, 553kg, for $1980 or 358c/kg.

N & P Evans, Bruthen, sold 10 Angus steers, 18-20 months, 542kg, for $1740 or 321c/kg.

Glenshiel Pastoral, Butchers Ridge, sold 11 Red Baldy heifers, 16 months, 417kg, for $1140 or 273c/kg.

Bill Wyndham & Co livestock manager Colin Jones said it was a "tough day at the office".

"Older cattle were only fractionally easier compared to a month ago, however, weaner cattle were $100-$200 cheaper," he said.

"I think that's because there were a fair few weaner cattle there and because the fat job has come back, everybody is a bit cautious, especially coming in winter."