Markets

Rain flushes out southern restocker demand in smaller AuctionsPlus offering

Beef Central, 30/01/2016
These rising two-year-old 261kg Droughtmaster steers in store condition sold account Dunluce Grazing at Hughenden in North QLD  made 358c.

These rising two-year-old 261kg Droughtmaster steers in store condition sold account Dunluce Grazing at Hughenden in North QLD made 358c.

 

LAST week’s widespread rain, producing good registrations in Northern and southern NSW and into Victoria in particular, saw a drop in numbers on AuctionsPlus on Friday – however it brought restocker buyers out in force.

Numbers catalogued for Friday’s sale contracted to 6611 head, including an annual feature weaner sale in Victoria, back 2700 or 29pc on the previous week.

However the rain brought restockers out in force. Breeders in particular were in strong demand, and cows with big calves at foot were a hot commodity for a quick turnaround in the upcoming weaner selling season through NSW.

Some uncertainly in the market around processor activity did lead to a clearance rate back slightly in last week though sale prices remained reasonably steady.

In a breakdown of the catalogue by weight:

  • Steers under 250kg made from 337c to 407c to average 381c, up 12c, while heifers in the same weight range sold from 292c to 375c averaging 326c.
  • Big numbers of backgrounder weaner steers in the 250-300kg weightrange were on offer and sold from 315c to 385c to average 345c, while heifers made 266c to 359c to average 313c.
  • Steers 300-350kg sold form 320c to 354c averaging 340c while heifers made 266c to 323c to average 293c, down just 1c on last week.
  • Steers weighing 350-400kg made 303c to 342c to average 324c, and heifers in this weight bracket made 273c to 311c to average 292c in the eastern states.

In individual sales, unjoined Hereford heifers in Tasmania weighing 366kg to 457kg made 275c to 281c.

Highlights of young cattle sales included rising two-year-old Droughtmaster steers mostly milk tooth and in store condition sold account Dunluce Grazing at Hughenden in North QLD weighing 261kg which sold for 358c. Yearling Santa cross heifers at Thangool, Central QLD weighing 298kg made 315c; and 400kg Angus cross steers at Boondooma, Central QLD made 336c.

A line of 401kg crossbred heifers out of Scone, NSW sold for 311c, 248kg Angus steers out of Goulburn NSW made 374c, and Charolais/Angus weaner heifers at Holbrook NSW weighing 266kg sold for 359c.

The annual Narweena Station weaner sale out of Hamilton, VIC  offered 620 Charolais/Angus cross steers and heifers drafted into weight lines, attracting 44 bidders. Prices ranged from 302c to 324c, or $950 to $1225 for the tops at 394kg.

Females in demand

Yearling first-calf heifers were represented the bulk of the PTIC female sales on Friday, selling from $1060 to a top of $1850 for Booragul and Farrer blood Angus heifers from northern NSW.

Heifers with their first calf at foot sold to $2400 for these composite Red Angus heifers with composite calves at foot from Moss Vale NSW.

Heifers with their first calf at foot sold to $2400 for these composite Red Angus heifers with composite calves at foot from Moss Vale NSW.

Heifers with their first calf at foot also met strong buyer demand selling from $1600 to a top of $2400 for composite Red Angus heifers with composite calves at foot from Moss Vale NSW.

Two to three year old Angus cows with Angus calves at Glen Innes sold for $2175.

Cows aged three to seven years with calves made $1220 to $2360, with the top price for PTIC Charolais cows with Charolais calves in Victoria. Mixed-age lines, typically from two or three to up to thirteen year old lines, made from $1170 to a top of $1970 for Charolais cows with Brahman calves at foot out of Condamine, QLD.

 

Some larger lines listed for next Friday (February 5) AuctionsPlus sale

  • 138 Angus x Hereford weaned steers ex Tambar Springs NSW. Contact: David Simpson Elders 0427 399 362
  • 270 EU-accredited Angus weaners, drafted into mobs averaging 325kg and 277kg, plus 75 weaned Angus heifers 243kg account Morocco West, Deniliquin, NSW. Contact  Jason Andrews Elders 0428 629 399
  • 114 backgrounder heifers Droughtmaster cross, out of Sarina QLD. Contact: Tony Dwyer Landmark 0427 589 437.
  • 133 Droughtmaster backgrounder steers 240-330kg ex Eidsvold QLD.  Contact: Col Campbell Landmark 0429 068 810.
  • 78 Angus cows & calves, station mated ex Nimmitabel, NSW. Contact: Anthony Atkinson Schute Bell 0412 777 700.

 

 

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