Market improves up to 6c
ROMA
CATTLE numbers were down by 285 head to 6550 at the Roma Store Sale. Cattle were drawn from a wide supply area and the overall quality of the yarding was varied. The usual panel of buyers was present and operating. Light weight yearling steers experienced only quality-related price changes. Both the medium weight and heavy weight yearling steers to feed improved by 4c/kg. Restocker demand was strong for quality light weight yearling heifers.
A fair sample of light weight yearling steers to restockers sold to 318.2c to average 301c/kg. Medium weight yearling steers to feed sold to 290.2c to average 288c/kg. A good sample of heavy weight yearling steers to feed sold to 280.2c to average 278c/kg. Light weight yearling heifers to restockers averaged 243c, selling to 260.2c/kg.
The small sample of grown steers sold to 279.2c and averaged 270c/kg. Medium weight two-score cows sold to 227.2c to average 209c, while the bulk of the three-score medium weight cows averaged 237c/kg.
WARWICK
THE supply of stock reduced by 200 head to 1021 head. Young cattle were in the largest numbers, along with a good sample of cows and only a few heavy grown steers and bullocks. Buyer attendance was generally good and most were operating. Young lightweight drought-affected lines experienced less demand. However, well-presented yearling steers and heifers ideally suited to the local trade market attracted strong competition. The large sample of cows sold to within a few cents either way of the previous week’s level. Vealer steers returning to the paddock made to 284c to average 259c, while poor quality lines averaged 228c/kg. A handful of vealer heifers sold to local butchers at 281c/kg. Yearling steers in the 280kg to 330kg range to feed made to 295c to average 277c/kg. Medium weight yearling steers to feed made to 297c, with most around 268c/kg. Medium weight yearling steers to the trade made to 310c to average 282c, while the heavy weights reached 321c to average close to 300c/kg. Drought-affected light weight yearling heifers averaged 179c and some better lines averaged 194c/kg. Medium weight yearling heifers to the trade averaged 269c and sold to 294c, while some heavy weights made to 298c/kg lwt. Heavy grown steers made to 295c to average 288c, and the occasional bullock sold to 285c/kg. Medium weight two-score cows averaged 196c and made to 208c, while the better three-scores averaged 231c/kg. Good heavy cows sold to 261c, with most close to 253c/kg. Heavy bulls made to 262c/kg lwt.
DALBY
THIS week’s Dalby sale had numbers fall by nearly 400 for a yarding of 5038 head. The yarding consisted of a good supply of yearlings, while cows dominated the grown cattle section. The yarding of young cattle consisted of some good runs of well-bred yearling steers and heifers that were suitable for feeders and backgrounders, however there was a fair number of plain-conditioned cattle through the sale. The market varied, with buyers being selective in their purchases. Feeder steers struggled to hold last week’s prices to be down by 4c to 8c, with medium weights averaging 275c to top at 283c, while heavy feeder steers averaged 282c/kg. Feeder heifers were slightly dearer, with most averaging about 257c to 259c/kg. The yarding of export cattle consisted of a good supply of cows, while there was a smaller offering of bullocks, steers and grown heifers. Quality was fairly mixed, although there were several pens of well-finished cattle through the sale. However there were larger numbers of light plain-conditioned cows sold. One of the usual buyers was not operating this week, resulting in the bullock and steer market falling by 12c, with three- and four-scores selling from 259c to 279c/kg. Grown heifers sold to a top of 245c/kg. The cow market had light weights sell to a strong market, while medium and heavy cows ranged from 3c to 12c/kg cheaper. Medium weight two-score cows averaged 201c, while three-scores averaged 224c and heavy cows ranged from 224c to 246c/kg.
LISMORE
A VERY light yarding of cattle was sold at Lismore Saleyards on Tuesday. Forty cows sold at similar rates to recent weeks.
Bella Park Limousin Stud topped the day with a two-year-old heifer at $2.34/kg for $1147.
Secondary cows sold in the $1.70 to $2/kg range and light cows $1 to $1.40/kg, with meat operators and restockers competing. A few good vealers sold from $2.20 to $2.40/kg.
John McPherson’s prime heifer sold at $2.38/kg for $857.
Plain lightweight weaners sold from $1.20 to $2.30/kg.
GUNNEDAH
THE combination of some rain and the long weekend resulted in a greatly reduced penning. There was a large supply of yearlings and cows, with limited supplies in the other categories. The large number of bobby calves was gone, although there was still a fair supply. The quality of the offering was very mixed, while the condition was generally plain, with one- and two-scores making up the greatest percentage. The usual buyers attended. The young calves sold on a dollar-per-head basis, with the market firm on the very light weights in plainer condition and slightly dearer for the better-quality lots. There were varying trends through the young cattle, with demand from restockers in particular also varying. Particular breeds were in demand regardless of quality and condition, while others attracted little competition. This variation was reflected in price changes through the light weight steers and heifers. The medium weight yearling steers to restock and feed saw a firm to slightly dearer market trend, however the upside was minimal.
Heavy weight feeder steers sold on a firm to dearer trend also.
Yearling heifers going to restockers and feedlotters followed similar trends to the steers.
Well-finished trade heifer yearlings sold to cheaper trends as quality was also down.
There were insufficient well-finished grown steers and heifers for a market quote.
The cow market had little change on the well-finished three- and four-scores, with quality accounting for price change.
The plainer condition cows experienced a firm market trend for the most part, although some of the plainest condition cows were a little dearer.
GRAFTON
AT GRAFTON, 333 cattle were yarded. With a very good line-up of export cattle, bullocks and cows sold dearer.
The best of the bullocks sold to 269c/kg and the best of the cows to 248c/kg.
Vealers also sold a shade dearer to top at 248c/kg.
HIGHLIGHTS
S P Moore bullocks sold to 250c/kg, weighed 450kg to return $1108/hd. S M & M L Gray bullocks sold to 260c/kg, weighed 660kg to return $1716/hd. C J Moss bullocks sold to 265c/kg, weighed 624kg to return $1747/hd. J R & B A Carlton bullocks sold to 265c/kg, weighed 705kg to return $1856/hd. P N & M Redhead charbray steers sold to 276c/kg, weighed 400kg to return $1183/hd to restockers.
J R & B A Carlton heifers sold to 252c/kg, weighed 505kg to return $1270/hd.
R & K Di Mattia cows sold to 230c/kg, weighed 500kg to return $1162/hd.
Coombadjha Trust cows sold to 245c/kg, weighed 533kg to return $1302/hd.
L S Timms vealers sold to 240c/kg, weighed 235kg to return $565/hd.
Coombadjha Trust weaner steers sold to 270c/kg, weighed 315kg to return $850/hd to restockers.
S M & M L Gray heavy angus bull sold to 245c/kg, weighed 1055kg to return 2576/hd.
INVERELL
NUMBERS decreased by 340 despite the long weekend affecting market offerings through the state. The yarding had reasonable numbers of well-bred, although plainer conditioned, young cattle and almost no cows. All the regular processors were present, along with strong competition from restockers, local and interstate buyers. Well-bred weaners to restock sold to dearer trends of 12c, with light weight yearling steers also having dearer trends of 26c/kg. However, medium weight feeder steers sold to slightly cheaper trends of 4c/kg, with the bigger offering of plain-conditioned young cattle being a contributing factor. Light yearling heifers sold to dearer trends of 17c/kg, sought by both local and interstate restocker interest. Medium weight trade heifers had slightly cheaper trends. There were no grown steers to quote, however grown heifers sold to cheaper trends of 8c/kg.
There were very few cows offered, making prices ease substantially for light cows, while three-score cows eased 3c/kg.
A good selection of grain-assisted young bulls had trends improve by 15c/kg for the better types.
CASINO
THERE were a few less cattle yarded this week for a total of 968 head. About 750 head of young cattle were sold, comprised of a good supply of vealers and light yearlings. Quality was mixed again this week, with several pens of supplementary-fed cattle, however there was a large percentage of plain-conditioned weaners and light yearlings through the sale. The market varied, with restocker weaner steers making 4-6c more than last week, topping at 266c/kg. Restocker weaner heifers were firm, although the plainer types were easier with the best reaching 192c/kg. Trade vealers decreased by 15c, topping at 236c for an average of 222c/kg. Restocker and backgrounder yearling steers were slightly dearer, making from 220-277c/kg. Trade yearling heifers were in limited supply, gaining 7c to make from 220-261c/kg. The yarding of cows was comprised of mainly light and medium weights, along with several pens of heavy cows. Heavy cows held firm, while light and medium weights decreased by 4-5c/kg. Medium weight three-scores averaged 223c and heavy cows sold to 256c/kg.