Larger lines sold this week included these 192 Santa weaned steers 295kg at 5-8 months from Rolleston, Central Queensland, making 509c/kg or $1500. From the same vendor, a further 310 weaned Santa steers, 230kg at 5-8 months sold to 526c/kg, and 280 weaned heifers 215kg same age made 464c and 487c/kg.

ANOTHER very large offering of 24,488 head was put forward in online trading this week – the largest seen since May last year.

The market showed signs of increased selectivity, with clearance down 31pp to just 50pc.

There was some recovery evident in heifers values after solid falls recorded last week in all five categories, while steer results this week were mixed.

Among the large heifer offerings, heifers 200-280kg picked up 10c to average 447c, however clearance of the 2700 head offered reached just 58pc. Heifers 280–330kg rose 21c to 460c/kg, but clearing just 35pc of the 1713 offered.

Heavier heifers 330-400kg lifted 8c to average 455c, clearing 33pc, while the +400kg heifers lifted 6c to 453c/kg, clearing 69pc of the small offering of 321 head.

A small offering of 338 heifers less than 200kg managed to lift 64c/kg on very low prices the week before, to average 482, but clearance sat at just 21pc.

From Molong, NSW, a line of 65 Angus heifers 11-12 months averaging 290kg returned 493c/kg and will travel to a buyer near Holbrook, NSW.

Among larger heifer lines sold this week, 96 Charolais x Shorthorn backgrounder heifers 277kg at 8-12 months from Richmond, North Queensland made 386c/kg or $1070. Further south, 94 Charolais cross weaner steers 294kg at 6-14 months from Winton, made 513c or $1510, and 114 Droughtmaster cross backgrounder steers 271kg at 11-14 months from Springsure, Central Qld made 479c or $1300.

Steer results were mixed, with both gains and losses across weight ranges. The strongest improvement was seen in less than 200kg steers, where only 557 were offered. Prices up 26c to average 595c/kg, however clearance reached on 54pc.

Steers 200-280kg attracted a large catalogue of 4684 head, of which 58pc cleared. Average prices fell 22c/kg to 534c.

Steers 280–330kg offered 3589 head, easing 15c to average 528c/kg, while 330–400kg steers lifted 16c to 522c/kg.

Clearance across steers remained moderate, peaking at 93pc in the +400kg category where only 740 were offered, though generally tracking lower across lighter weights.

Steer highlights included 32 Angus steers 6-8 months averaging 192kg from Wagga Wagga, NSW, returning 653c/kg and travelling to a local buyer.

A line of 112 Angus steers 7-8 months averaging 291kg from Bombala, NSW, returned 575c/kg and will travel to a buyer near in Koo Wee rup, VIC.

Larger lines included 192 Santa weaned steers 295kg at 5-8 months from Rolleston, Central Queensland, making 509c/kg or $1500. From the same vendor, a further 310 weaned Santa steers, 230kg at 5-8 months sold to 526c/kg, and 280 weaned heifers 215kg same age made 464c and 487c/kg.

Breeding females

Breeding female price trends were variable, with significant swings across categories, sometimes influenced by offering size.

Better performers included PTIC cows & calves, lifting $655 from a low base to average $3405/pair, while NSM cows & calves rose $313 to $2371/pair. Clearance remained mixed across breeding lines, generally ranging from 40pc to 75pc.

Poorer performers included station-mated heifers and calves that plummeted $930 on last week to average $1412, while SM cows and calves dropped $251 to average $1995/pair. SM cows lost $137 to average $1776, clearing only 48pc of the 392 offered.

Source: AuctionsPlus