Weekly Cattle Market Update: Trends in Pricing and Listings

These 98 Angus steers, aged 11-12 months and averaging 273kg from Tumut, NSW, returned 624c/kg and will travel to a buyer near Wannon, VIC. Additionally, 112 of their heavier counterparts averaging 308kg made 593c/kg.

In the latest online cattle market, listings saw a notable decrease met with fluctuations in pricing on a c/kg basis. The latest yarding recorded a total of 14,125 head, reflecting a 12% drop from the previous week, which elevated the clearance rate to 86%, its highest in recent weeks.

Pricing Trends Across Categories

Price movements were unpredictable across various heifer and steer categories along with breeding females. New South Wales dominated the buying activity, securing 5,833 head. Meanwhile, Queensland buyers relaxed considerably, purchasing only 3,005 head, while Victoria acquired 1,897 head.

Among the steer categories with substantial enough offerings to gauge pricing trends, heavy feeders weighing over 400kg demonstrated a significant uptick, gaining 42c/kg to average 510c, clearing 93% of 1,232 head. Conversely, steers in the 280-330kg range saw a decline, losing 23c to average 535c/kg, with an 80% clearance from the offering of 1,716 head.

Highlights from Recent Sales

Steer highlights from this week included:

• 52 Angus steers aged 10-11 months from Coleraine, VIC, averaging 212kg sold for an impressive 707c/kg and will be transported to a buyer near Pakenham, VIC.
• 98 Angus steers aged 11-12 months from Tumut, NSW, averaged 273kg and sold for 624c/kg to a buyer near Wannon, VIC.
• A further 112 heavier Angus steers averaging 308kg returned 593c/kg.
• 82 Angus steers aged 11-12 months with an average weight of 426kg from Orange, NSW, fetched 556c/kg, destined for a buyer near Wagga Wagga, NSW.

Heifer Pricing Overview

The results for heifers were similarly mixed. The 330-400kg category saw an uplift of 28c/kg to average 449c, with an 88% clearance rate on 1,279 head. However, 280-330kg heifers fell by 33c, averaging 452c with an 84% clearance rate, while lighter 200-280kg lines increased by 18c to an average of 473c, clearing 81%.

Breeding Female Market Insights

Breeding female categories showcased an overall downward trend within segments large enough to report. PTIC (Pregnant to Initial Coverage) cows saw an average drop of $118, settling at $2,127, while PTIC heifers lost an average of $30, now at $1,880. Clearance rates varied significantly: from just 16% for SM (Silent Mated) cows with calves to a perfect 100% for PTIC heifers and cows with calves at foot. The standout segment was station-mated cows and calves, which increased by $257 to average $2,865.

Source: AuctionsPlus