Among larger heifer lots sold this week, these 276 Santa future breeders from Tambo, Western Queensland saw heavier lines averaging 454kg at 16-24 months make 484-489c/kg, and a lighter run of 120 averaging 386kg at 14-20 months make 505c/kg.

HEIFERS and light steers dropped in c/kg value this week, while heavier steers showed a little improvement in AuctionsPlus online trading on Friday.

Listings fell 25 percent to 13,668 head, while clearance dropped to 54pc, down 21 percentage points week-on-week.

Steers totalled 5848 head, clearing 57pc, while there were slightly more heifers offered – 5910 – clearing 54pc. NSW led regional supply with 6550 head (48pc of the national offering), while Queensland contributed 5168 head (38pc) and Victoria 1225 head. Buyer activity remained concentrated in NSW and Queensland, with both states accounting for the majority of purchasing interest.

Feeder steers +400kg lifted 6c/kg to average 559c/kg this week, but cleared only 28pc of the600 offered. A disappointing 42pc clearance was recorded for the 330-400kg steers, from an offering of 1621, where prices lifted 12c to average 569c.

In fact, as can be seen in the table below, there was an unusually narrow spread in c/kg price across the five steer weight ranges. Light steers less than 200kg lost 26c/kg this week to average only 567c – just 8c more than the heavy feeder steer category, and 2c less than the 330-400kg steers.

Steers in the 280-330kg range averaged 570c, up 10c on last week, clearing 62pc of the 1645 offered.

From Adelong, NSW, 70 Hereford steers 10-12 months averaging 271kg returned 543c/kg, travelling to a buyer near Korumburra, VIC.

Among the heifers, all weight divisions lost  ground. Worst impacted were the 330-400kg heifers, numbering 1191, which cleared 65pc, but lost 31c to average 510c. Heavier heifers +400kg cleared 72pc from a small offering of 300, averaging 492c. Lighter heifers 200-280kg produced a large offering of almost 2700, clearing 48pc, with prices back 23c on last week to 451c.

From Inverell, NSW, 40 Angus heifers 12-14 months averaging 312kg returned 584c/kg, travelling to a buyer near Inverell, NSW.

Among larger heifer lines, 276 Santa future breeders from Tambo, Western Queensland saw heavier lines averaging 454kg at 16-24 months make 484-489c/kg, and a lighter run of 120 averaging 386kg at 14-20 months make 505c/kg.

Further south, 228 Ultrablack weaned heifers 278kg at 11-15 months from Mungalalla, southern Queensland made 430c/kg, while 214 Angus backgrounder heifers 200kg at 6-8 months from St George made 480-485c.

Across the border near Aberfoyle on the northern NSW Tablelands, 100 Wagyu x Angus F1 mixed sex weaners 320kg at 11-12 months made 706c/kg while 95 lighter siblings 267kg made 710c/kg.

Breeding females

Breeding female listings totalled 1545 head. PTIC cows dominated the offering with 505 head, clearing 50pc and averaging $2068, up $185 on last week. SM cows numbered 314 head, clearing less than one third of the offering, averaging $2279, up $656 week-on-week.

PTIC heifers saw only 264 offered, but managing to clear only 16pc. Prices averaged $1847, down $338.

52 Angus PTIC cows 4-7 years averaging 505kg from Wongwibinda, NSW, returned $2380 and will travel to a buyer near Roseworthy, SA.

Source: AuctionsPlus