Cattle back $100 a head in Kyneton as feed shortage bites, NSW buyers active

A little over 1100 cattle were yarded with some quality lines of Angus steers and heifers penned.

Elders agent Dean Coxon, Kyneton, said prices were back on those reached at the saleyard's May sale.

However, a floor was kept under prices with competition between a number of agents and commission buyers on the day.

Commission buyer Duncan Brown, Howlong, snapped up about a third of the cattle on offer, with all heading north to feedlots and backgrounders in New South Wales.

Elders Yea agents were also active alongside JBS buyers for feeder cattle.

Mr Coxon said heavy steers over 500 kilograms sold for 300-320 cents a kilogram.

Steers between 380kg and 420kg sold for a top of 385c/kg and anything from 350c/kg.

"Once you got into the smaller lines or anything a bit lighter, they were 320c/kg," he said.

Coloured cattle and anything under 300kg sold for 280-300c/kg.

"It was certainly cheaper than the last sale," he said.

Mr Coxon put this down to the lack of feed availability in west Victoria at present and highlighted that hay was costing about $100 a bale.

"Any cattle need backgrounding or a bit of grass, it is harder to move them on," he said.

"Cattle that could go straight onto grain were selling well."

He said the trade for stock needing feeding was "tough".

Heavier feeder heifers sold for an average of 280-320c/kg and lighter weaner heifers, 280-320kg, were down at 260-280c/kg.

Mr Coxon said lighter heifers, or anything with a bit of colour or Hereford breeding, sold for 200-250c/kg.

Overall, he said heifers were also back $100 on May's store sale, "if not a bit more".

There were a number of pens of cows with calves on offer with decent competition for some quality Angus first calvers.

These sold to a top of $1750 a pair while poorer-quality pairs were back at $1200.