Among larger steer lines offered last week, these 348 Brangus weaned steers 6-9 months from Homestead, North Queensland made from 457c/kg for the lighter end averaging 243kg, to 390c/kg at the heavier end averaging 316kg.

CATTLE listings on AuctionsPlus last week totalled 11,459 head, down by eight percent on the previous week.

Heifer prices trended down, while steer weight categories were mixed, in an offering where clearance lifted to 76pc.

Steers underpinned the offering, accounting for 50pc of total listings with 5768 head, up 28pc on the previous week. Clearance rates for steers remained notably high at 88pc across all weight ranges.

Breeding females experienced the sharpest decline, halving in number to 1884 head.

Listings were again concentrated in NSW, which accounted for 51pc of the national offering with 5890 head — up 15pc on the previous week. South Australia and Tasmania also lifted offerings, while Queensland and Victoria listings declined by 31pc and 51pc, respectively.

NSW and QLD were the strongest buying states, securing 4063 and 2673 head, while 77pc of the 1099 head purchased by Victoria were sourced interstate.

In the steer market, heavy feeders showed some solid gains, continuing a three-week trend. Prices averaged 414c/kg (that’s across all breed categories, from Angus to indicus-influenced), a lift of 44c/kg on the previous week, while clearing 99pc of an offering of 873 head.

The other improver was steers 280-330kg, lifting 20c/kg to average 467c, albeit with the lowest clearance in the steer categories at 84pc.

Other steer categories were softer in price, with a large offering of 2156 steers 200-280kg easing 2c/kg to average 462c, clearing 87pc of the offering.

An offering of 45 Angus steers, 6-7 months averaging 216kg from Coonabarabran, NSW returned $1160/head or 538c/kg and will remain local.

Among larger steer lines offered this week, 348 Brangus weaned steers 6-9 months from Homestead, North Queensland made from 457c/kg for the lighter end averaging 243kg, to 390c/kg at the heavier end averaging 316kg.

Further south, 192 Santa backgrounder heifers 14-18 months averaging 307kg from Kingaroy southern Qld (pictured below) made 340-343c/kg in two lines.

Out of Penola, South Australia, 228 Angus feeder steers sold in three lines averaging 457-463kg made 514-516c/kg, or $2350-$2390 a head.

The heifer market was more subdued, particularly among lighter weights. Heifers less than 200kg fell by 149c/kg to 331c, while the 200–280kg category dropped 37c to average 376c/kg, with the offering of 1575 clearing 67pc. Heifers 280-330kg were unchanged at 350c/kg, clearing 67pc of the offering of 1382 head.

From Ballandean, NSW, a line of 32 Brahman x Hereford heifers 9-11 months averaging 256kg returned 512c/kg.

Out of Penola, South Australia, these 228 Angus feeder steers sold in three lines averaging 457-463kg made 514-516c/kg, or $2350-$2390 a head.

Breeding females

Breeding females delivered mixed results, with PTIC heifers and cows the best performers. PTIC heifers surged by $464 to average $1823/head, with clearance improving on last week at 59pc, while PTIC cows gained $384 to $1897/head at a 65pc clearance.

Trending downwards were NSM cows and calves, which lost $394 to average $1864/pair.

A line of 17 Angus station mated cows 5-8 years averaging 542kg, with calves at foot, from Cavendish, VIC returned $2120/head.

Source: AuctionsPlus