Among larger steer lines offered this week, these 136 Ultrablack and Ultrablack x backgrounder steers 275kg at 6-12 months from Eromanga in far western Queensland made 397c/kg or $1090.

AUCTIONSPLUS cattle numbers fell three percent this week, with the 13,672 head experiencing moderate price decreases, coming off an exceptional result the previous week.

The lighter end of the steer market recorded some strong gains in c/kg terms this week, while medium and heavier steers and most heifer categories were little changed or softer in price.

About 25pc of all lots were purchased by interstate buyers, seven percentage points higher than last week.

Steers 200-280kg lifted 18c/kg this week to average 451c, with the offering of 1975 head clearing 90pc. Steers 280-330kg also lifted, averaging 14c higher at 416c/kg, with the 1737 head offered clearing 68pc.

Lighter feeder weight steers 330-400kg edged 3c higher to average 408c, clearing 651pc of an offering of 1112 head, while heavy feeders +400kg dropped 8c/kg to average 403c, clearing only 35pc of an offering of 560.

From Bingara, NSW, 66 Angus/Brangus steers 7-10 months averaging 317kg returned $1245/head or 392c/kg, and will travel to a buyer near Dorrigo Mountain, NSW.

Among larger steer lines, from Eromanga in far western Queensland, 136 Ultrablack and Ultrablack x backgrounder steers 275kg at 6-12 months made 397c/kg or $1090.

In the heifer offering, a large catalogue of 2157 heifers 280-330kg lost 5c to average 364c/kg, while an offering of 1231 heifers 200-280kg gained 3c to average 347c.

From Bathurst, NSW, 40 Angus heifers 11-12 months averaging 315kg returned $1150/head or 365c/kg, and will travel to a buyer near Blayney, NSW.

Among larger heifer lines offered this week, 186 Hereford and Hereford x station-mated heifers 14-40 months averaging 305kg from Alice Springs made $417 a head, while a further 240 of their lighter and younger sisters 213kg at 6-20 months made $409/head or 192c/kg.

Further east, 268 backgrounder heifers carrying composite, Brahman and Senepol genetics from Julia Creek Northwest Queensland made 277c/kg for a mob of 104 averaging 224kg at 10-12 months, with a similar line of 124 Senepol x types 228kg made 263c/kg.

Breeding females

Among the breeding female offering, big falls were seen in station mated heifers, where 894 head offered averaged only $629, down $562 on last week, clearing 55pc.

PTIC heifers, offering 769 head, cleared 57pc, lifting $201 in value on last week to average $1653.

From Blackall, 54 Santa cows four to five years averaging 569kg returned $2290/head, and will travel to a buyer near Talwood, Queensland.

Source: AuctionsPlus