Markets

Dubbo sale 7 Feb 2018: Feed, water shortage drives cattle forward

David Monk, 08/02/2019

Yarding 4600 Change 1570

Following another week of hot and mostly dry conditions numbers lifted by almost 1600 with a number of people not only running out of feed but also getting extremely low on water. The total yarding finished at 4600 and unfortunately for the sellers there was not a lot of joy with almost every section experiencing falls in the market.

Yearlings made up a large percentage of the yarding along with large numbers of cows. There were a couple of large consignments of young cattle presenting in very plain condition in from the far west along with the usual consignments from local districts. Not all the regular buyers were operating with both northern and southern export processors choosing not to operate along with the absence of some regular feeder operators. There was however an extra northern restocker buyer operating on cows.

NLRS advises the young cattle to the trade were 10c to 15c cheaper with the prime steer yearlings selling from 244c to 266c while the prime heifer yearlings sold from 242c to 255c/kg.

Feeder steers were 20c to 25c cheaper while the feeder heifers were 5c to 10c/kg easier. The feeder steers sold from 230c to 285c with the light and medium weights averaging 255c and 267c/kg. The prime heavy weight feeder steers averaged 272c/kg.  The feeder heifers sold from 225c to 252c with most averaging around 238c/kg.

Young cattle to the restockers were 15c to 20c cheaper as buyers for the large numbers of young cattle in store condition remain difficult to find. The young steers sold from 180c to 295c with the lightweight calves less than 200kg averaging 259c and the heavier weights weighing between 200kg and 280kg averaging 250c/kg. The young restocker heifers sold from 148c to 255c with the light and medium weights averaging 196c/kg.

There was very restricted competition for the limited numbers of grown steers which were 20c cheaper with the prime medium and heavy weights selling from 235c to 269c/kg. Plain quality grown steers in store condition sold to the restockers who paid from 150c to 196c/kg. Grown heifers were a little dearer with quality a factor. The better type grown heifers sold from 205c to 256c to average 248c/kg.

Plainer conditioned cows to the processors were firm to 4c cheaper while the better finished cows were 12c/kg cheaper compared to the previous sales dearer market. 2 score cows sold from 120c to 166c to average 147c while the better 3 and 4 score cows sold from 165c to 207c with the prime heavy weights averaging 196c/kg. There was good competition from restockers on suitable lines and they finished 1c to 3c/kg dearer. Good numbers of cows to the restockers sold from 82c to 186c/kg.

The bull market was a little cheaper with quality a factor. The better heavy weight bulls sold from 200c to 228c while the restockers paid from 170c to 235c for suitable young bulls.

To view full NLRS sale report click here

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