THE buoyancy of the beef industry continued at last Friday's monthly store cattle sale at the Wangaratta saleyards, with prices remaining high and numbers solid.
The agents' draw estimated 600 head but that grew to almost 1000 by the start of the sale, reaffirming the growth of the Wangaratta market according to Wangaratta Livestock Exchange board chair John Muraca.
"The saleyards are certainly going strong," he said watching the bidding on Friday.
"Prices have remained strong as well, cows and calves have been going at $4700 and $4800 so far this morning so it will be interesting if that keeps going."
Mr Muraca said the switch of the fat cattle sale from Thursday to Tuesday had also proven a winner with increased stock numbers and more buyers attending.
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"We decided to hold the sale after Barnawartha's Tuesday sale to allow those buyers to attend but we have also discovered that more buyers are coming from Shepparton as well," he said.
"We're averaging around 400 head each Tuesday compared to the 60 or 70 we used to get on a Thursday."
Mr Muraca said the growth also reflected the effectiveness of the stock exchange board which he said had a great working relationship with each other and with Wangaratta council.
The almost perfect seasonal conditions also helped the market sustain its strength.
"I've never seen another season like this," Mr Muraca said.
"If we get another 25mm over the weekend as forecast, it's as good an autumn break as we've ever had."
Corcoran Parker stock agent Justin Keane said prices were "pretty fair" and showed continued confidence in the market.
"The medium to large heifers with four week old calves went well; one lot from the Grealey Family Trust near Wodonga made around $4600 which was pretty fair," he said.
"A later lot with third calving cows made above $4600.
"It demonstrates the season and people's confidence in the outlook and being prepared to build up their herds again.
"When you've got rain events all the way up and down the east coast prices for young cattle won't be affected in the short term."
