Weekly Update: Cattle Prices and Market Trends

This week, online cattle listings on Elders and Nutrien-owned AuctionsPlus saw a 3% increase, totaling 15,423 head, while the clearance rate dropped to 68%. Despite this, all heifer categories demonstrated robust price growth on a c/kg basis, with medium and heavyweight steers also witnessing an uptick in value.

Market Highlights

Steers remained the largest segment in the catalogue, achieving an 87% clearance. A small offering of 303 light steers weighing less than 200kg saw a decline of 36c/kg, averaging 585c. This segment cleared 88%, while 2400 steers weighing 200–280kg achieved a near-total clearance with a slight drop to an average of 564c/kg.

For steers weighing 280–330kg, the average increased by 6c to 548c/kg; however, only 74% of the 1300 offered were cleared. Meanwhile, steers weighing 330–400kg saw a 9c increase to 537c/kg, with a clearance of 71%. Feeder weight steers over 400kg also rose by 14c, averaging 526c/kg and clearing 91% of the 834 head.

Noteworthy Sales

Some of the highlights included:

• 64 Angus steers, 6-7 months and averaging 235kg from Yea, VIC, returning 639c/kg, destined for a buyer near Euroa, VIC.
• 36 Angus steers, 6-7 months averaging 249kg from Mandurama, NSW, returned 603c/kg and will travel to a buyer near Cowra, NSW.

Heifer Performance

Heifers exhibited the strongest price gains across categories. Lighter sub-200kg heifers lifted by 112c to reach an average of 640c/kg, with those 200-280kg also showing improvement, gaining 15c to average 477c, clearing 78% of the 1100 yarded. Medium-weight heifers (280-330kg) cleared 78% of the 1160 available, lifting by 35c to average 466c. Heifers weighing 330-400kg achieved an 86% clearance rate, while 445 heavy feeder heifers over 400kg saw a total clearance, increasing by 34c to average 474c.

Notable sales included:

• 69 weaned Te Mania blood Angus heifers, weighing 199kg at 5-7 months from Tullamore, Central Western NSW, fetching 503c/kg or $1000.
• 40 Angus x Friesian heifers, aged 3-4 months and averaging 113kg from Katunga, VIC, returned $1040 or 924c/kg, heading to a buyer near Coleraine, VIC.

Breeding Females Overview

Breeding female clearance remained varied across categories. Price trends showed mixed results; NSM heifers and calves increased by $423 to average $2622, while SM cows rose by $203 to $2152/head and PTIC cows saw a rise of $150 to average $2157/head. Conversely, station-mated heifers lost $316, averaging $1593, while PTIC cows dropped $725 to average $3250. NSM cows and calves decreased by $272 to average $2324.

Source: AuctionsPlus