Mixed Trends in Online Cattle Prices: A Week in Review
Overview of Recent Auctions
In the latest round of online cattle auctions, most heifer prices and several heavier steer prices showed a downward trend. AuctionsPlus reported an offering of 14,400 head, a significant 19% increase compared to the previous week.
Key Trends in Pricing
The exceptions were seen in the pricing of steers and heifers weighing less than 200kg, where only limited numbers were offered, resulting in positive price movement.
Breeding cattle showed mixed trends, with larger categories experiencing a general decline. The clearance rate fell dramatically to just 45%, a drop of 25 percentage points from the previous week, indicative of a spike in offerings and more selective purchasing behavior.
Steer Categories
Feeder weight steers over 400kg recorded a loss of 7c/kg, bringing the average down to 499c; this category cleared only 27% of the 1,521 head available.
Steers weighing between 330-400kg saw an increase of 17c, averaging 527c/kg, but clearance was disappointing at just 33%. Particularly significant losses were noted in the 280-330kg weight category, averaging 512c/kg and clearing only 41% of the 1,008 head offered.
For lighter steers weighing 200-280kg, the average remained stable at 540c, with an impressive clearance of 77% from the 1,200 heads offered. Meanwhile, baby steers of less than 200kg increased by 26c to a new average of 599c and cleared a smaller offering of only 122 head.
Noteworthy Sales
Among the highlight sales, one notable transaction involved 110 Angus steers, aged 4-5 months and averaging 158kg, sold for $950/head (600c/kg) to a buyer near Bathurst, NSW. Similarly, 38 Angus steers, aged 8-10 months and weighing an average of 331kg, were sold for $1,970 (596c/kg) to a buyer near Walcha, NSW.
Heifer Categories
Despite a limited offering of 297 head for heifers less than 200kg, prices increased by 85c/kg to a new average of 447c but faced a clearance rate of just 54%. Other heifer categories experienced a decline in price; 200-280kg heifers cleared 68% from an offering of 1,145 head but saw a decline of 33c, averaging 443c.
Heifers weighing 330-400kg dropped by 22c to an average of 435c, with a clearance rate of only 41% from the 1,053 head available. Heifers over 400kg lost 5c, averaging 440c, and cleared 83% of the offering of 512.
Young Cattle Sales
Among the larger lines this week, 116 Hereford and Hereford cross backgrounder steers, weighing 246kg and aged 8-18 months from Mitchell, QLD, sold for 487c/kg, while 98 Angus backgrounder heifers, weighing 260kg and aged 10-12 months from The Gums, Southern QLD, made 450c/kg. However, a line of 112 Wagyu x Angus backgrounder heifers, averaging 369kg and aged 15-17 months from Willow Tree, NSW, was passed in at an asking price of 438c.
Breeding Cattle Insights
In terms of breeding cattle, trends were varied. The largest category, PTIC heifers, faced significant challenges, with only 18% clearance from an offering of 1,736 head, seeing a decrease in average price by $262 to $2,292. PTIC cows equally struggled, with 43% clearance from 887 offered, averaging $2,205 after a $206 drop.
Station-mated cows and calves offered 709 pairs, clearing just 36% with an average price of $2,430, representing a decrease of $162.
Source: AuctionsPlus
