SOME feeder cattle grids have increased in the past fortnight as seasonal conditions remain mostly strong and numbers slowly increase.

Heavy 400kg+ flatback feeder steers on the Darling Downs are being quoted between 515-525c/kg – which is a 5-10c increase on the last feeder cattle market report. One large lotfeeder was quoting 490c/kg.

Angus feeder steer prices have remained mostly steady, with quotes between 550-570c/kg in the south, and one quote of 560c/kg in the north.

One operator on the Darling Downs said they had increased the numbers of high-grade Brahman steers they were taking, with plenty being turned off in the north and demand to keep filling the ever-increasing amount of pen space. Those cattle were making 430c/kg.

The majority of buyers who spoke to Beef Central this morning said they were booked for most of September. Most yards are now coming out of their Christmas shutdown period for 100-day cattle and looking towards January forward contracts. At this stage a forward contract is not out, however, some buyers said more than 515c/kg for flatback feeders was not adding up with the December 860c/kg carcase weight.

Cattle are starting to on feed for China when quota opens up next year.

Numbers increase at saleyards

Numbers have slowly been increasing rain fell across large parts of the Eastern Seaboard, from South Australia/Victoria right through to parts of Queensland. Last week, Meat & Livestock Australia’s national cattle yarding increased to 69,000 head last week after hovering between 48,000 and 54,000 for the past three weeks.

In the south, numbers increased at both the Wagga and Tamworth saleyards this morning with 4520 head and 1767 head respectively.

Roma has similar numbers to last week on the draw for tomorrow with 7545 head – a big yarding, but nowhere near the 10,000 and 11,000 head yardings they were getting in July and August.

A sample of 629 heavy feeder steers at Wagga this morning average 548c/kg, similar to last week and 283 heavy feeders at Tamworth averaged 564c/kg.

National livestock reporting service Wagga reporter Leann Dax said some extra feedlots were bidding on the sale this morning, which kept a floor in the market for heavier feeder steers. However, she said feeder heifers had weak demand and erratic bidding and ultimately lost 20c on last week.

The saleyard-based feeder steer indicator opened this week at 522c/kg, which is down 7c on the week before, but similar to what it was at the start of the month. The heavy 400kg+ side of the indicator was similar to last week at 534c/kg.

Mixed seasonal conditions

Seasonal conditions across the Eastern Seaboard are still mixed, with the ground still wet in parts of New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia.

Qld is starting to dry out, however, many parts of the west and the north still have a big body of feed. There is concerns about the potential for fires.

There has been plenty of talk about the building El Nino weather pattern, which has some concerned that dry weather is coming. It must be said the reaction has not been as big as it was when an El Nino was declared in 2023.

Asked about the potential for more dry weather, one buyer told Beef Central that if it doesn’t rain, he is still not expecting big numbers to come forward until February next year.