These 115 Angus steers 8 months averaging 210kg from Texas, NSW made 486c/kg or $1020/head on Friday, and will travel to a buyer near Upper Pilton, QLD.

AFTER two enormous weeks with listings above 26,000 head, numbers softened a little on Elders and Nutrien’s AuctionsPlus online platform this week.

The catalogue of 22,112 head was down 18 percent on the previous week, with clearance rate lifting somewhat, rising 7 percentage points to 63pc.

Most young cattle categories showed some rises in c/kg terms – steers somewhat modest, but heifers stronger – while most breeding female categories were also improved, after a couple of tough weeks.

For the third consecutive week, weaner and yearling sales were split across multiple regions. The Queensland and northern New South Wales sale featured 8000 head and closed with 69pc clearance, while the combined southern NSW, Victoria and South Australia sale gathered just less than 7500 head, clearing 80pc. The Eastern States sale (principally breeding cattle) offered 6500 head, clearing 62pc.

New South Wales remained the largest listing state with 13,000 head, representing a fairly even split across the Riverina, Northern Tablelands and Central West – each listing 2500 to 3000 head.

The Riverina had strong offerings of PTIC cows and light heifers, while midweight steers dominated listings from the Northern Tablelands and Central West. Queensland contributed just shy of 4000 head, while Victoria followed with 3000 – many of which were lightweight steers and heifers out of the southwest.

Steers accounted for 43pc of this week’s listings, with 9430 head offered. Steers in the 200-280kg range 4c/kg to average 418c/kg, clearing 61pc of an offering of 3500 head. A larger offering of 3470 steers 280–330kg lifted 5c to average 406c, clearing 74pc of the offering.

From Texas, NSW 115 Angus steers 8 months averaging 210kg made 486c/kg or $1020/head, and will travel to a buyer near Upper Pilton, QLD.

A small offering of 122 heavy feeder weight steers +400kg lost 7c to average 428c/kg.

Among larger steer lines offered this week, 181 weaned Droughtmaster steers 6-16 months averaging 304kg made 368c/kg or $1120, while 192 backgrounder steers and heifers, mostly F1 and F2 Wagyu x Angus 12-16 months, from Ilfracombe, western Queensland, saw the steer portion averaging 290kg make 380c/kg and the heifer portion 280kg make 303c.

Heifers were the standout performers this week, with just more than 6000 head listed and strong price lifts across most weight ranges.

Heifers 200-280kg was the dominant listing category, offering 3372 head. Prices lifted 1c/kg on last week to average 336c, clearing 73pc. Heifers 280-330kg offered 1600 head, clearing 58pc with prices up 18c to average 336c. Strong price rises were seen for both light heifers less than 200kg (up 50c) and heavy heifers +400kg (+62c, but clearing only 21pc) but both were small offerings only.

Sixty nine Angus heifers 8-9 months averaging 263kg from Winchelsea south, VIC returned 377c/kg or $990, and will travel to a buyer near Merriwa, NSW.

Breeding female results mixed

Breeding females experienced mixed results, with price movements varying by category and clearance rates reflecting buyer selectivity.

PTIC cows were a standout, with 1733 entries clearing 64pc, with prices + $216 on last week to average $1836. PTIC heifers yarded 1535 head, clearing 61pc, with prices back $224 to average $1497.

NSM heifers and calves produced a 64pc clearance of 694 head, lifting $154 to average $2276. Station-mated heifers fell $309 to average $1621, with an offering of 700 head clearing 68pc

A line of 36 Angus cows 3 years averaging 608kg from Woomargama, NSW returned $2700/head and will travel to a buyer near Elong Elong, NSW.

Processor activity lifted this week, accounting for 15pc of total purchases.

Source: AuctionsPlus