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    Lighter cattle doesn't deter buyers, with $8m traded

    THE first 2023 Wangaratta Livestock Exchange sales presented a "happy medium" for buyers and producers on Wednesday, as 4400 head of cattle went under the hammer at the Premier Angus Feature Weaner Sale.

    Sale turnover exceeded $8 million with the market's top steers making $2250 per head.

    Corcoran Parker cattle agent Reiley Murtagh said he expected prices to follow the cheaper trend of the current market.

    "There's still some very high end cattle and there's still confidence there in the market; people are buying from all different areas," he said.

    "They generally say these January sales are big on prices but I don't see it getting extremely dear again; I think at the moment we've found a happy medium."

    One of the feature sellers of the sale was Mansfield's Rodda Manning, who presented 750 head of his 10–11 month old Angus steers at an average weight of 325kg.

    Mr Manning said the past year presented difficult conditions for growing cattle, which presented lighter than previous years.

    "Last year was a funny year, the calves are back about 30kg on this time last year, they just stood around in the water for months, it was cold, we never had any heat through the spring and just never had the growing conditions like previous years," he said.

    "But everyone's in the same boat, and they've still lined up pretty well."

    Mr Manning said he will expect the cattle produced going forward to be back to a heavier weight as the dryer conditions settle in.

    "We've got farms at Warrenbayne as well and that feed is sort of disappearing quicker than what it is in Mansfield, but it's just been nice to have some dry paddocks," he said.

    "I was sick of bogging quad bikes, utes and tractors."

    Mr Manning said he was pleased with his result of $5.40 per kg on average for his steers.

    "I think it was pretty reflective of where the market is," he said.

    "The top pen made $1870 (per head) and they sort of made their way down from there, with the last couple of pens of lighter calves were back to $1610."

    Mr Murtagh said he doesn't predict the lofty peaks in prices to occur this year but can see an uptick in prices after autumn.

    "It was probably a tougher year for weaners in 2022 season wise," he said.

    "Last year was definitely extreme, weaners sold very well and we had an exceptional season in 2021 which saw those weaners with a lot of weight gain.

    "This year the majority of the cattle were a good 20–30kg lighter on average but the cattle still presented exceptionally well for the buying clientele."

    January cattle sales continue in Wangaratta this afternoon from 2pm, with an expected 2500 head to be presented at the All Breeds Feature Weaner Sale.

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