High attendance at sales
ROMA STORE
THE supply of stock eased to half of the previous week’s level following the Easter break.
The smaller numbers were drawn from a wide area, including South Australia.
Buyer attendance was generally good and young light weight yearling steers and heifers continued to experience very strong support from restockers.
Medium and heavy weight yearling steers to feed also met very solid demand and this trend flowed onto the heifer portion.
Heavy grown steers and bullocks to export slaughter averaged 7c better and cows improved by 12–13c/kg.
Steer calves returning to the paddock made to 380.2c, while heifer calves averaged 319c and made to 330.2c/kg.
Light weight yearling steers sold to restockers at an average of 350c with sales to 372.2c/kg.
Yearling steers 280–330kg sold to feeder operators and restockers at an average of 320c with some sales to 330.2c/kg.
The largest number of medium weight yearling steers to feed averaged 309c and made to 314.2c/kg.
Heavy weight yearling steers over 400kg to feed averaged 291c with the occasional sale to 304.2c/kg.
Light weight poor condition yearling heifers averaged 303c and made to 314.2c/kg.
A large sample of better condition lines averaged 297c and made to 332.2c/kg.
Heavy grown steers to export slaughter averaged 273c and made to 278.2c while the bullock portion averaged 277c and made to 279.2c/kg.
Light weight poor condition cows mostly sold to restockers at an average of 192c with some to 206.2c/kg.
A fair sample of good heavy cows to slaughter averaged 230c and made to 234.2c/kg. Heavy bulls made to 253.2c/kg.
WARWICK
AGENTS and vendors penned an increased offering of 935 head, up 306 head on last sale.
Quality was quite good on a yarding of local cattle although there were very few bullocks penned.
There was a reasonable offering of vealer and yearling cattle which eased slightly on the previous week’s prices.
The buying panel included most regular operators, however, there were only a few local restockers in operation.
Male calves made to a top of 335c with mixed sexes selling to average 315c/kg for the best to restockers.
Vealer steers made to a top of 340c on occasion to return an average of 317c/kg.
The main run of vealer heifers averaged 283.5c with sales to 308c/kg.
The best yearling steers sold to a top of 320c to make between 283c and 298c/kg for the better bred pens.
Yearling heifers were very mixed, selling to 299c to average 270c/kg for the majority.
Plain 2 score cows made to 196c to return an average of 183c/kg for the best.
Heavy 4 score cows made to 242c showing an improved average of 227c/kg.
Heavy bulls were in short supply, selling to 263c/kg.
DALBY
A FAIR panel of buyers was present and operating across all categories.
Light weight yearling steers and heifers returning to the paddock experienced only quality related price changes.
Medium weight yearling steers to feed sold to strong demand and heavy weight yearling steers were well supplied and sold very close to the previous week’s level.
Medium and heavy weight yearling heifers to feed and the trade sold to a dearer trend.
Heavy grown steers and bullocks were too small in numbers to reliably quote.
However the market responded to the short supply of cows and prices lifted by 10–12c/kg.
Steer calves returning to the paddock made to 378.2c to average 367c/kg.
Light weight yearling steers sold to restockers at an average of 342c with some to 375c/kg.
Medium weight yearling steers to feed averaged 290c and made to 306.2c/kg.
Heavy weight yearling steers to feed averaged 291c with some to 298.2c/kg.
Light weight yearling heifers to restockers averaged 289c with isolated pens to 330c/kg.
Medium weight yearling heifers to feed averaged 278c and made to 292.2c and the few heavy weights to feed also averaged 278c and made to 280.2c/kg.
A small number of heavy grown steers made to 282.2c to average 281c/kg.
Medium weight 2 score cows averaged 200c while the better 4 scores averaged 219c and made to 227.2c/kg.
A large sample of good heavy cows averaged 228c with a pen of heifers and cows mixed making to 237.2c/kg.
Heavy bulls made to 248.2c/kg.
LISMORE
230 cattle were sold at the Lismore Saleyards on Tuesday.
Prime medium weight vealers sold up to $2.84/kg but most of what was bought by meat operators ranged from $2.40 to $2.60/kg.
Restockers were again selective.
Lightweight limousin cross steers topped at $3.15/kg but with the bigger percentage of the weaners being bos indicus cross $2.60–$3.00 was the norm.
Cows sold on an improved market.
Bev and Rodney Smith’s friesian cow topped the day at $2.26/kg, $1594.
Secondary cows sold from $1.80 to $2/kg.
GRAFTON
There were 267 cattle yarded at Grafton on Tuesday.
The market for bullocks sold dearer to see 290c/kg being paid for the top bullocks and 270c/kg for full mouth ox.
Cows sold dearer by up to 10c/kg, to see a top of 225c/kg.
Vealer to processers sold firm from last week.
Restockers were definitley more interested in quality weaners and paid up to 324c/kg for the top calves.
John Hutchings bullock sold to 290c/kg weighed 560kg to return $1620/hd.
John Hutchings bullock also sold 266c/kg weighed 823kg to return $2181/hd.
S&P Wratten bullocks sold to 284c/kg weighed 620kg to return $1756/hd.
P W Sanger feeder steers sold to 282c/kg weighed 440kg to return $1233/hd to feedlotters.
ML & CM Joe cows sold to 218c/kg weighed 535kg to return $1162/hd.
GR & RTJ Winter cows sold to 220c/kg weighed 483kg to return $1055/hd.
Jack Sivewright cows sold to 218c/kg weighed 695kg to return $1510/hd.
Robert Allen cows sold to 212c/kg weighed 503kg to return $1056/hd.
SD & B Connolly cows sold to 210c/kg weighed 445kg to return $927/hd.
SJ & KM Glyde heavy bull sold to 238c/kg weighed 770kg to return $1811/hd.
Maybrook limousin steers sold to 272c/kg to return $621/hd to restockers.
Lochlan Martin brahman steers sold to 295c/kg to return $818/hd to restockers.
Wingfield and Gillett vealers sold to 270c/kg weighed 225kg to return $603/hd.
NJ & DA Bardsley charolais steer sold to 272c/kg to return $652/hd to restockers.
CASINO
Report from March 28.
There were just 440 head yarded for the pre-Easter sale.
Young cattle were in fair numbers consisting mainly of vealers, and a few pens of yearlings, while there was a small yarding of cows.
Quality was fairly mixed in a generally cheaper market, with not all the usual buyers operating.
The exception was the restocker weaner steers that sold from 260–346c/kg.
Trade vealers were down by 7c to make from 237–296c/kg.
Restocker yearling steers sold to 280c and heifers topped at 269c/kg.
The yarding of cows consisted of a few medium and heavy weights, along with several pens of light plain conditioned cows.
Most cows were 3–4c/kg cheaper, some sales more.
Most light cows sold from 156–193c, while medium and heavy cows sold from 188–216c/kg.
GUNNEDAH
THE continuing dry weather and poor seasonal conditions saw an increase in numbers.
Weaners, yearlings and particularly cows made up the bulk of the offering as producers offload in the face of low feed and water supplies.
The quality of the offering was fair to good, however there was a noticeable reduction in condition.
All the usual buyers were in attendance.
With reduced demand from restockers, weaners sold to cheaper market trends, up to 25c/kg for both the steers and heifers.
There were other price changes brought about by quality variations.
Limited supplies of well-finished vealers suitable to the trade, combined with increased competition saw them sell to a dearer trend.
Medium weight yearling steers to restock and feed sold to a cheaper trend, while demand for heavy feeders remained strong despite less competition.
The market trend for heavy weight feeder steers was mostly firm.
A single pen of high quality angus steers was as much as 9c/kg dearer than previous weeks.
Medium weight yearling heifers to feed sold on a firm to slightly dearer trend.
The heavy weights to both the trade and feedlotters were 3–5c/kg cheaper and more in places where breed was a factor.
There were too few heavy grown steers to quote.
Well finished heavy heifers sold on a firm to cheaper market trend.
There was strong demand for cows with increased competition between the usual buyers.
The market trend was 11–15c/kg dearer and more in places.
INVERELL
Reduced numbers by 1000 head to pen 1320 mixed quality cattle.
All categories penned fewer numbers, with the regular buying group attending, along with one extra processor.
There were limited numbers of calves under 200kg and most of these were purchased by restockers.
Reduced numbers of the better steer weaners showed slightly cheaper trends to be back 4c/kg for the lead calves.
However, the trend for the plainer quality steers was much cheaper, 15–20c/kg.
Weaner heifers also showed cheaper trends of 8–11c/kg, depending on quality.
Plainer drafts of light weight yearling steers were 15c/kg cheaper, while better bred steers were mostly firm.
Medium to heavy C2 steers sold to cheaper trends of 13c and the heavy portion sold to cheaper trends of 15c/kg.
As usual, many of the purchases went back to the feedlots, with minimum numbers to the trade.
Light heifers saw cheaper trends, while heavy weights declined 10c/kg.
Best heavy cow trends improved slightly to 2c, with the good D3 and D4 types showing increases of 10c/kg.