CATALOGUE numbers rose sharply on AuctionsPlus this week, with the passing of the holiday-shortened Easter weeks. There were 11,136 head offered this week, up 44 percent on the week before. New South Wales listings dominated the catalogue, making up 63pc of the listings, while Queensland made up 24pc.

Dry conditions across NSW and Victoria saw markets continue to struggle this week with low clearance rates, and as was the case last week, it’s expected that more sales will be completed over the weekend.

Most steer category prices were slightly softer this week, with bigger offerings.

A large offering of mostly Droughtmaster and Droughtmaster cross cows, offered account Craigie Station, Bonshaw, southern QLD drew buyer interest, with a line of 92 3-6 year old, 465kg cows PTIC to Droughtmaster, Angus and Simmental bulls selling for $1200. Other lines totalling 240 6-8 year old PTIC cows from the same vendor made $1100-$1115.

Young joined heifers also peaked buyer interest this week with 18-20 month old Speckle Park x Angus heifers from Wellington, NSW sold for $1760, while 18-20 month old Poll Hereford heifers from Breeza, NSW sold to $1350.

The limited number cow and calve units that sold at auction this week in the Eastern States sales were topped by a line of 6-7 year old Angus cows with Angus calves at foot from Casterton, VIC selling for $1820. The same vendor also sold 23-24 month old heifers with calves at foot for $1720.

A line of 2-13 year old Charolais cows with Charolais, Charbray, Angus and Brahman calves at foot from Winton, western QLD sold for $1550.

Among larger lines, a run of 96 Hereford x Beefmaker yearling steers 12-16 months averaging 295kg from Mitchell, Queensland, made 305c/kg or $900 a head, while a line of 126 Droughtmaster x Charbray weaned heifers 6-10 months 197kg made $630 and a similar number of their brothers, averaging 210kg, made $780.

The Tasmanian cattle sale this week saw a clearance of 78, with unjoined heifers averaging 294c and steers averaging 371c. Among the 484 head on offer, highlights included 288kg, 6-9 month old Angus calves from Castra selling for 421c/$1210;  and 327kg 9-12 month old Limousin x Angus heifers selling to 279c/$910. Angus cows and calves sold to $2220, while PTIC Angus cows sold to $1840.

In a breakdown of young cattle sold, by weight range:

• Steers less than 250kg sold from 313c to 419c to average 341c/kg; while heifers sold from 253-324c to average 289c
• Steers 250-300kg sold from 296-421c to average 351c; while heifers sold from 275-307c to average 288c
• Heifers 300-350kg sold from 249-279c to average 262c.

Steer highlights

270kg Angus Steers from JUGIONG, NSW sold for 351c/$950

282kg Angus Steers from HOLBROOK, NSW sold for 339c/$960

317kg Angus Steers from MERRYGOEN, NSW sold for 302c/$960

270kg Angus Steers from JUGIONG, NSW sold for 351c/$950

160kg Droughtmaster Steers from BONSHAW, QLD sold for 418c/$670

210kg Droughtmaster/Charbray Steers from ARAMAC, QLD sold for 371c/$780

285kg Charolais/Angus Steers from GULUGUBA, QLD sold for 321c/$920

295kg Hereford/beefmaker Steers from MITCHELL, QLD sold for 304c/$900

287kg Angus Steers from CASTRA, TAS sold for 420c/$1210

298kg Hereford/Angus Steers from REDPA, TAS sold for 415c/$1240

287kg Angus Steers from CASTRA, TAS sold for 420c/$1210

Heifer highlights

207kg Shorthorn Heifers from MANILLA, NSW sold for 291c/$605

216kg Angus Heifers from COONABARABRAN, NSW sold for 286c/$620

341kg Red Angus Heifers from YEOVAL, NSW sold for 249c/$850

301kg Angus Heifers from MERRYGOEN, NSW sold for 264c/$800

169kg Simmental/Droughtmaster Heifers from BONSHAW, QLD sold for 324c/$550

197kg Droughtmaster/Charbray Heifers from ARAMAC, QLD sold for 319c/$630

339kg Angus Heifers from BOWENVILLE, QLD sold for 270c/$918

315kg Angus Heifers from GOONDIWINDI, QLD sold for 253c/$800

227kg Hereford/Angus Heifers from REDPA, TAS sold for 316c/$720

276kg Hereford/Angus Heifers from REDPA, TAS sold for 307c/$850

326kg Limousin/Angus Heifers from STOWPORT, TAS sold for 278c/$910

276kg Hereford/Angus Heifers from REDPA, TAS sold for 307c/$850

Source: AuctionsPlus