THE annual northern Victorian weaner sales made spectacular history this week, kicking off with remarkable bids for pure Angus at Wodonga on Wednesday, where 4500 head were yarded, to reach a top of $2880 a head for genuine weaner steers.
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The leading pen from P and C Klippel, Berringama, Victoria, sold through Corcoran Parker, averaged 441 kilograms at nine to 10 months of age, sporting Alpine blood, and were purchased through Nutrien Toowoomba.
Bids came thick and fast with northern buyers contributing to the frenzied demand for quality calves off grass, with only a handful of tail-enders selling for close to last year's top prices while most landed bids in the $2300 to $2500 range at 350kg to 370kg.
More than 9000 heaad were sold on of the first day of the weaner sales with another 3650 offered at Wangaratta on Wednesday as well.
Prices for 2021-drop weaner cattle at that sale rose by as much as $800 a head compared to the same sale 12 months ago.
Again, agents said northern orders underpinned the feature market.
Backgrounding orders carried out by several major buyers meant a large portion of the yarding was destined for northern NSW, and very few pens of cattle were bought by local Victorian graziers.
At the Birregurra Premier Colac sale on Wednesday, agents reported a lift of between $500 and $700/head on last year's rates.
Colac Associated agents penned a capacity yarding of just over 3000 head presented to a buying group from a wide area.
Top steer price of the day was $2540 for two separate lines the first was a pen of 13 account RF & LM Kemp, that weighed 423kg, or 600c/kg.
Full report: Colac weaner steers top at $2540, heifers at $2360
Day 2 Sales - Thursday
Day two of the Wodonga weaner sales on Thursday were back a bit with reduced buyers and some nerves about processing constriction but overall prices were very strong.
After the sky-high prices on day one of the northern Victorian weaner sales, bids on day two at Wodonga fell slightly back to earth with best Angus weaners making $2540, grown Angus-cross steers to $2900 and heavy Hereford to $2830.
Among the heifers, Angus reached $2680 while a thin Hereford offering topped at $1950 and composites to $2170.
Full report: Wodonga day two champion Herefords make $2470
Photo Gallery: Out and about at Wodonga weaner sale | Photos
Thursday also saw 1200 females sell at the Western Victorian Livestock Exchange feature female sale at Mortlake, Victoria.
The yarding of nearly 1200 cattle included two herd dispersals as well drafts of feature lines of pregnancy-tested-in-calf heifers prepared for this fixture.
Two-year-old PTIC heifers sold to $4100 and three-year-old PTIC heifers, first calvers, to $4360.
Full report: Mortlake heifers toped at $4360
It was a massive yarding at Naracoorte, SA with just shy of 6000 steers going under the hammer.
Returns for the heavier cattle was slightly back on prices before Christmas but the lighter or medium weight stock were firm to dearer.
Even with the yarding up some 1500 on the usual January numbers, the crowd was down significantly.
Full report: Naracoorte new year weaners start strongly
On Friday, sales will continue at Wodonga and Naracoorte with another 15 sales scheduled across Victoria for week two.
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