DRY conditions throughout March have farmers in the Wangaratta district waiting on decent rain so they can sow crops for the coming season.
From the cattle front, AWN livestock agent Ryan Hussey said the fat job has backed off, the better end of the bullock job is hanging on, feeder cattle have come back and it's a sign of the dry times.
"An autumn break will turn the season around and get the job going again," he said.
"You've got people who have knocked up all their fire breaks so they can start burning stubble and start sowing and fertilising, but it's about waiting for the right time of the year to be able to do it all," he said.
District 23 commander Paul Scragg said they've had many landholders apply for agricultural permits to burn grass and stubble in preparation for their sowing program.
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"We've been granting permits but only for grass and stubble only - it's still too early for any burning other than that and the burning of dead branches and other debris will have to wait," he said.
But after the eighth wettest summer on record in Wangaratta, it could be a while yet for an autumn break, with the Elders' 28-day forecast proving accurate with little to no rain throughout March.
For April the Bureau of Meteorology forecasts rain is likely (60 to 80 per cent chance) to be below median for most of Australia, except central and eastern New South Wales, south-eastern Queensland, and Tasmania.
For April to June, below median rainfall is likely (60 to 80pc chance) for most of the north and west, and parts of the south and east of Australia.
For most remaining areas, there is neither a strong wet nor dry signal in the forecast, compared with median.
The monthly store cattle sale in Wangaratta on March 21 had an advertised 950 head, with a herd dispersal, females and young cattle on offer.
AWN auctioned several lots of young cattle, including 25 pure Table Top blood Angus steers, R and J Zani of Rutherglen sold 25 Angus mixed sex with Oswald blood, 20 m/sex from Unthank of Cheshunt with Black Aqua blood, 20 Angus m/sex from Fletcher Farming at Moyhu with Riga blood.
Nutrien held a herd dispersal from R Backlund of Norong with 30 Poll Hereford Heifers, 20 Poll Hereford cows, and 39 Poll Hereford cows mixed four to eight years.
Corcoran and Parker had AW Evan of Rosewood sell 50x50 Angus cows with Scotts Angus blood, also auctioning several lots of Angus heifers from Nagnom Family Trust - Osbornes Flat with high quality bloods lines going under the hammer.
Elders auctioned 18 m/sex Angus with Scotts Angus blood grown at Myrrhee by H Bott, along with 11 Simmental steers with Tennysonvale blood and 12 Sim/Angus m/sex, from G Jenvey of Edi.
