Weekly Cattle Market Update

From Walcha, NSW, these 96 Angus steers, aged 12-14 months and averaging 357kg, returned 569c/kg on Friday, destined for a buyer near Ebor, NSW.

This week, cattle listings on AuctionsPlus increased to 12,525 head, reflecting a 9% rise from the previous week. Despite the uptick in supply, market confidence remained robust, with solid bidding across key categories and several breeding lines achieving notable price gains.

Market Highlights

Notably, all feeder steer categories—with the exception of the heaviest—showed improvements in pricing per kilogram, while heifer values generally declined. The overall clearance rate dropped to 57%.

Regional Insights

The eastern coast continues to be the focal point for purchasing activity. New South Wales led the market with 3,400 head purchased, buoyed by strong restocker interest in the Northern Tablelands and Riverina regions. Meanwhile, Queensland saw a slight dip in purchases, totaling just under 2,000 head, indicating selective buying amid better feed conditions.

Steer Performance

Among the steers offered, entries between 330-400kg attracted 1,175 head, clearing 56% at an average price of 500c/kg—reflecting heightened restocker interest. In contrast, feeder weight steers over 400kg saw a decline of 28c/kg, settling at an average of 467c/kg, with only 49% of the 1,188 head offered cleared as buyers resisted higher prices.

Lighter 280-330kg steers saw a minor improvement, average prices rising by 3c to reach 519c/kg, with 86% clearance from the offering of 863 head. Notable highlights included:

• 112 Angus steers aged 6-7 months, averaging 249kg from Padthaway, SA, returned 611c/kg.
• Another batch of 112 Angus steers, slightly lighter at 239kg, was passed in for 498c.
• 83 Angus steers aged 10-12 months, averaging 283kg from Ournie, VIC, returned 598c/kg.
• The 96 Angus steers from Walcha, NSW, aged 12-14 months and averaging 357kg, returned 569c/kg.

Heifer Market Overview

In the heifer market, substantial price drops were observed in lighter and mediumweight categories. Light heifers under 200kg averaged 359c/kg, down 34c, achieving a clearance rate of 89% from a small offering of 140 head.

For heifers weighing 330-400kg, 2,137 head were yarded with a clearance rate of 57%, and an average price reduction of 9c/kg brought the average to 440c. Additionally, heifers exceeding 400kg saw an average increase of 5c, reaching 453c with a clearance of 53% from a total of 501 head.

Breeding Females

Breeding females experienced some price gains this week, driven by steady restocker demand and positive seasonal sentiment in the southern states. A small offering of 324 pregnant heifers (PTIC) highlighted the market, rising by $831 to average $2,971, although just 21% cleared. Pregnant cows (PTIC) similarly saw an increase of $325 to average $2,258 from a modest offering of 216 head, clearing 28%.

However, non-pregnant heifers and calves faced declines, with average prices dropping by $323 to $2,400, while the average for shared manage heifers and calves decreased by $443, landing at $2,412.

Source: AuctionsPlus