Grass fever grows at monthly store sale

The calm before the storm.

That’s how one livestock agent described the monthly store sale at Powranna.

Mud on the ground was evidence of a storm the night before, but burgeoning prices paid for a quality winter yarding of 1167 cattle certainly indicated things are on move.

Agents from Elders, Nutrien and Australian Wool Network (AWN) were kept on their toes as were the auctioneers throughout the lively bidding.

The market improved significantly across all well-bred cattle with gains of $200 to $300 quite common and some were even higher.

Heavy yearling steers made $1380 to $2140, medium $1040 to $1700, light $800 to $1540 and very small $780 to $990 per head. 

Most well-bred steers made 400c to 480c and smaller steers made over 500c/kg. 

The best heifer yearlings made $1300 to $1600, light $840 to $1380 and very small $760 to $920 per head. Most heifers made 390c to 480c per kg liveweight.

Elders livestock agent Thomas Febey said that the way the market moved upwards was a pre-curser to more frantic buying in August.

“We see it every year but it’s getting earlier and earlier – it was usually late September when the spring rush would start but now people are trying to jump the gun.

“They get grass fever and want to buy cattle and that’s when they really get dearer.

“There’s already been a fair increase in the price per kilo, steers in particular, and like last year the weather has played a part in there being a shortage of cattle to buy.”

The sale was dominated by Angus cattle but there was good representation of Hereford, dairy cross, freisian and speckle park cross in the pens.

Peter Berwick, of Ringarooma, travelled up from his farm Daisy Banks with the aim of adding to his herd of 140 British-bred steers.

He ended up buying 15 steers at $1300 a head and he was happy with that.

“I wanted to get in before they get too dear,” he said.

“I’ll get them home and give them a cleaning up – they will be tagged, drenched, get a shot of vitamins, and be turned out with some hay and silage.”