WANGARTTA’S annual feature weaner sales made a bumper start yesterday with just under 5000 head of the finest Angus cattle in the region going under the hammer.
The Shanley Street livestock exchange hosted 4900 head of cattle for the Premier Angus Weaner and Yearling Feature sale.
Eastern Young Cattle indicators closed at $4.56/kg carcass weight in 2023, despite peaking at $5.75/kg for the month of December, and is a far cry from the $8.50/kg throughout the annual calf sales this time last year.
But, Corcoran Parker Wangaratta cattle agent Reiley Murtagh said the top range offering across the annual draft of calves was expected to bring a boost to the market, with a range of interested buyers from northern New South Wales and Queensland.
“We’ve got about north of 10 northern buyers here and a bulk of the cattle from the Barnawartha sale (earlier this morning) went north; it’s hard to tell but it could be the same here,” he said.
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One of the sale's biggest vendors was the Tallarook based pairing of Steve Clarke and Charles Veevers, who were selling 150 steers and 139 heifers of Witherswood and Bellaspur bloodlines.
Mr Clarke said although the cattle have presented slightly lighter than he expected, he was still very pleased with the season’s output.
“They’ve shown plenty of growth which is the main thing,” he said.
“We’re looking at $1200-$1400/head for your better weaners and we’re in that area.
“It’ll be a good line up of buyers today and it’s a good place to be selling cattle, buyers seem to like buying here which is a good thing, the cattle present very well compared to other yards."
Wangaratta’s sale followed the Premier Angus Weaner Feature sale at Barnawartha, which had a yarding of 5300 head.
More details on Tuesday’s sale will be in Friday’s Chronicle.
The Premier All Breeds Weaner and Yearlings Feature sale will take place tomorrow from 2pm with close to 2000 head expected at the Wangaratta Livestock Exchange.
