These heavy Angus feeders 364kg at 16 months out of Book Book in the Riverina made 368c/kg or $1338 a head on Friday

HIGH temperatures and scattered rainfall in New South Wales and Queensland underpinned cattle numbers offered on AuctionsPlus on Friday, where there was a three percent rise in listings to 7206 head.

With the Christmas holiday break approaching, large numbers of cows and calves were present, with unjoined heifers and yearling steers also representing strong numbers across the board.

Light steers under 250kg made 287c to 356c, which represented a massive 52c drop from last week.

Again, large numbers of heavy feeder steers were seen on Friday, mainly coming out of NSW. Two pens totalling 162 Angus steers, 16-17 months, 364kg from Kyeamba Creek, Book Book, in the NSW Riverina, made 351c ($1278) and 368c ($1338).

A line of 100 Santa feeder steers ex the droughted Winton area in central western Queensland, 313kg at 14-24 months, sold for 352.3c/kg or $1104/head.

High numbers of light unjoined heifers from Queensland were present with prices ranging between 240c to 339c, averaging 297c. They included a line of 202 weaned Brahman x Charolais heifers 8-13 months at 187kg, from equally dry Prairie in North Queensland sold for $550/head.

Preg-tested in calf female numbers where lower again last week, averaging $1376 for heifers under two years, down $93 compared to a week earlier.

Cows and calves ranging from 5-9 years made an average of $1571, with 3-4 year old averaging $1858.

Angus cows and calves from Cudal in Central Western NSW topped their category, selling for $2300. The three year olds, weighing 626kg with strong Angus calves at foot averaging 124kg will be enjoying the Riverina rainfall.

In a breakdown of Friday’s sale by weight category:

• Steers weighing less than 250kg made 287c to 356c, averaging 322c, down 52c; heifers in the same weightrange made from 240c to 339c, averaging 336c, down 39c
• Steers 250-299kg made 318-410c averaging 361c, similar to the previous week; while heifers made 269-312c averaging 313c, down 17c
• Steers 300-350kg made 249-358c, averaging 330c, down 19c, while heifers made 255c to 333c, averaging 313c, down 8 cents from last week
• Steers over 350kg made 284-368c, averaging 333c, down just 4c on the previous week; heavy heifers +350kg made from 264c to 302c, averaging 282c, down 23c.

The Western Australian cattle sale last Monday attracted 1767 head across 78 lots. The offering was dominated by 991 weaners, followed by 449 vealers. The sale produced an impressive 96pc clearance rate.

Slaughter cows made to 410c/$1420; PTIC females to $2025; yearling steers to 494c/$1559; weaner steers 327c/$1315; weaner heifers to 387c/$1380.

Upcoming offerings to watch:

• Historic Krongart Station near Mt Gambier will offer 420 Angus and black baldy EU-eligible and PCAS-eligible weaner steers and 240 similar heifers Friday 18 December. Contact Jamie Gray Andy TDC 0407 905 052
• This Wednesday’s inaugural Want Wagyu? Special Sale already has a total of 656 head listed, including feeder steers and heifers, weaned backgrounder steers and heifers, breeding heifers and cows, mated cows and heifers, cows and calves, and bulls, ranging from F1 to fullblood. The inaugural sale kicks off at 11am, Sydney time.

This year’s final AuctionsPlus cattle sale will be the Eastern States sale this Friday, 18 December. First sale next year will be the Wednesday cattle sale on Wednesday 6 January 2016.