This line of Black Simmental x Angus steers 6-7 months averaging 271kg from Mudgee NSW returned $990/head or 366c/kg on Friday

It was a tough week for commercial cattle traded online this week, with a 17,760 head offering on AuctionsPlus managing to clear just 36 percent.

The optimism at the start of the year seems to have dried up along with the available pasture. Heatwaves in South Australia and Victoria in February and into March have seen those states lead in terms of falls in confidence, with clearance rates in those states dropping off in early February (see graph).

Queensland and NSW have now followed that trend downwards, after holding relatively steady in terms of AuctionsPlus clearance for the last three weeks.

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The trend was also being seen in other industry yardsticks this week, including the Eastern Young Cattle Indicator.

Some regions saw particularly poor demand this week, with NSW Northern Tablelands and Western Queensland showing less than 10pc clearance across 3000 combined head. SW Victoria saw just a quarter of its 1658 head on offer this week find a buyer.

Things were a little less pessimistic in Central West NSW, Southern QLD and NSW Northwest Slopes and Plains where clearance ranged between 46pc and 56pc were recorded, on relatively large offerings.

Steers

Most medium and heavy steer categories fell in value again this week, on a c/kg basis.

Steers 200-280kg dropped 55c/kg to average 362c/kg. The offering of 1973 head cleared 36pc. Prices ranged from 293-422c.

From Mudgee, NSW 20 Black Simmental x Angus steers 6-7 months averaging 271kg returned $990/head or 366c/kg and will travel to a buyer near Warren, NSW.

Steers 280-330kg produced a catalogue of 1916 head, lifting 4c/kg on the previous week to average 368c – although $/head value dropped $23 to average $1112.

Steers 330-400kg registered a smaller offering of 2694 head and averaged 340c/kg, down 14c/kg on last week, for a 23pc clearance. Prices ranged from 240-373c.

A line of 88 Angus steers 8-9 months averaging 341kg from Bungowannah, NSW returned $1270 or 373c/kg and will travel to a buyer near Anakie, VIC.

Heavy steers +400kg attracted 1064 head, averaging 333c, down 15c on last week.

Heifers

The offering of heifers 280-330kg jumped 40pc to 1594 head this week and averaged 280c/kg, down 25c from last week, for a 25pc clearance. Prices ranged from 210-310c. From Charleville, QLD 36 Simbrah and Angus x Simmental heifers 6-12 months averaging 283kg returned 265c/kg and will travel to a buyer near Charleville, QLD.

Heifers 330-400kg registered a 4pc smaller offering of 1296 head and averaged 292c/kg, unchanged from last week, for a 57pc clearance. Prices ranged from 234-307c.

From Barraba, NSW 95 Angus heifers 15-17 months averaging 352kg returned $1080/head or 307c/kg and will travel to a buyer near Timor, NSW.

Breeding females

PTIC cows registered a larger offering of 1424 head and averaged $1680 – up $129 from last week for a 37pc clearance. From Coonamble, NSW two lines of 60 Angus cows 2.5-3 years averaging 523kg returned $2020/head and will travel to a buyer near Boorowa, NSW.

PTIC heifers registered a 21pc larger offering of 978 head and averaged $1392  –  down $251 from last week, for a 31pc clearance.

From Oakey QLD,  13 Charolais heifers 24 months averaging 534kg returned $1700 and will travel to a buyer near Buderim, QLD.

Prices as at 2pm Friday 8 March.

Source: AuctionsPlus