Widespread rains across the supply area didn’t deter producers with numbers steady after last week disruption to the market for the Australia day public holiday.

Rain ignited restocker confidence and secondary cattle were a hot ticket item. Well-bred weaners and yearlings continued their upward trend, after rain inspired increased numbers of southern and northern store orders. Meat and Livestock Australia data showed light weight vealers returning to the paddock 200-280kg jumped 68c, to average $792 per head.

Restockers in search of cheap secondary cattle were disappointed as well-bred light weight steers jumped 49c/kg, with weight determining the higher rates. The better bred lines with plenty of frame, weighing 280-330kg, sold from 295-322c while the vealer portion topped at 330c/kg. Plainer bred steers returning to the paddock ranged from 265-295c/kg. Processors requiring light weight vealers and weaners found the going tough and lifted their rates 8-10c paying from 286c-320c/kg.

Vealers to slaughter topped at 331c with most sales of the well finished calves selling 8-17c/kg higher.

Feedlots operated with far more drive than two weeks ago, due to the contraction of numbers at other selling centres. Several feedlot buyers’ upped the ante, as they mopped up all well-bred steers regardless of their plainer condition across some pen lots. Rates in general lifted 7-8c, with steers 330-400kg selling from 300-323c/kg. Medium weight steers ranged from 290-324c/kg.

Yearling heifer prices were impressive with both northern and southern feeder buyers paying 27c more for heifers weighing 330-400kg. The better bed lines sold from 282-302c/kg.   Medium weight trade heifers lifted 12c making from 274-305c/kg. Highlighting the heifer market was where buyers paid up to 308c/kg for a pen of European heifers weighing over 500kg.

Domestic buyers struggled to pay the higher rates and to secure the correct article, with very few yearling steers selling to the trade. The limited numbers of medium weight steers which sold to slaughter made from 288c-312c/kg.

Grown steers and bullock rates lived up to expectations following last week’s heavy rain. Prices bounced 23-27c with the better lines of younger grown steers and bullocks selling from 280-311,2c/kg.

The cow market gained plenty of traction as the sale progressed with prices lifting 9-23c/kg. The greatest price movement was for lean dairy cows with some processors paying up to 490c/kg carcass weight. Heavy well finished cows were in reasonable supply selling from 223c to 239c/kg. Lean cows were keenly contested by all processors fetching from 190c-233c/kg