THE sale paddocks were cleared in under an hour at this year’s Cleveland weaner sale last week.
All 900 of the cattle offered were sold at the Cleveland property in the Central High- lands in Ouse last Friday.
Cleveland property owner Tom Shoobridge said the prices were well down this year but it was still a very strong market.
“The prices had to come down a bit from last year because it was just unsustainable but this is still really strong,” Mr Shoobridge said.
Nutrien livestock manager George Nicholls said it was a very successful day with all the cattle always selling fairly well each year at the Central Highlands property.
“This sale here is a bit different because it’s an on- farm sale so these guys are getting to buy vendor-bred cattle in which they know about their genetics.”
Mr Nicholls said there were a lot of repeat buyers who came to the sales on Friday.
“They’re prepared to pay good money for these cattle,” he said.
“There’s good competition right through these heifers and especially the Angus Hereford cross.”
The decrese in prices for young cattle compared with last year is being felt right through the market, but the cattle were still being sold at a profitable price.
The highest price paid on the day was $1480 per head for Angus-Hereford cross steers weighing 297kg.
“These buyers know they are buying quality cattle, a lot of people who are buying here have bought before,” Mr Nicholls said.
“These are well bred cattle and there’s a lot of investment here in good genetics and buyers just know what they’re getting.”
The sale was conducted online as well with activity on Auctions Plus.
A few mainland purchasers from Victoria also made the trip to Ouse for the sale to see the cattle in person.