IT was warming up at the Hamilton Regional Livestock Exchange, one of Australia’s busiest saleyards, with the temperature topping 32 degrees on Wednesday as the annual January week of weaner sales got off to a respectful start.

With around one million sheep and 50,000 head of cattle sold out of Hamilton annually, this week’s success showed it remains a leading exchange facility that continues to attract buyers from interstate and right across Victoria.

Picking up an extra selling agent in J & J Kelly Stock Agency entering the mix following the closure of South West Victorian Livestock Exchange, vendors and buyers were pleased alike with a better-than-expected result.

On the first day, from 197 lots, one pen of 33 Angus weaner steers supplied by vendors, Sarona Pastoral Co, with a total weight of 9640 kilograms and average of 292.1kg, made the top price of 540.0 cents per kilogram for the day from selling agent, Kerr & Co.

On Tuesday there were 3000 head of Angus steers, in 177 lots.

Jack Kelly of J & J Kelly sold two pens of Angus steer that attained top equal price for the day at 540.0c/kg, one of 37 and the other 36, with an average weight of 278.1kg and 276.3kg respectively, from vendors, R and S Cameron, Athlone South, Penshurst.

 Private agents had a sale on Wednesday of 2400 head of Hereford and mixed sex weaners.

Thursday there were 1400 heifer weaners and Friday another 2600 head.

Mr Kelly said that Thursday’s pens were very good quality yarding that sold really well across the day for everyone and he was pleased to have topped the Angus heifers.

“Elders actually topped the sale for Herefords on Thursday,” he said.

“They sold their heifers for Beerik, with an average weight of 317kg - for $6.62c/kg.

“We were pleased to top the Angus section - 32 in the pen from Fernbank Park, Mepunga, and they had Angus heifers at 332kg at $5.92 and came back at $967 per head.”

Livestock Agents Association president, Bernie Grant said as the week progressed, sales delivered a steady and impressive result.

“The sales are going really well,” he said.

“We’ve all known that prices had softened over Christmas.

“People’s price expectations weren’t what they were last year - but they traded a little bit better than what was expected.

“Cattle weighed much the same as last year’s weights.

“Overall, it’s been a pretty pleasing result, really.

“L.R. Wheelers’ cattle sold well on Wednesday and so did the Neeson’s with their pure Limousin cattle.”

Mr Grant said buyers travelled from interstate and from right across Victoria for the annual bidding.

“Buyers came from South Australia, NSW and from as far as Gippsland, with strong support from Geelong and surrounding areas.

“There was a bit of NSW activity which is good.

“Some local cattle will be going up as far as Bathurst in NSW and there were a few other northern buyers - Wellington, NSW.

“It’s still wet up there and they haven’t been able to get their cattle out for sale, so while there wasn’t as much support as in other years, it was still quite good considering.”

Mr Kelly said he was quite happy with the way everything went on Tuesday for the all breeds steers sales.

“First time in Hamilton and I’ve been most welcomed and we’re glad to be here - so onwards and upwards,” he said.

“There was a good turn up of buyers - vendors would be very happy with the result.

“The sale last year was at record prices, so based on that - we’ve done ok - the prices this year were pretty similar to 2021.

“As you went into the lighter weights - they still worked out ok - not last year’s prices, but still quite ok.”