Among larger steer lines offered this week, six lots totalling 682 backgrounder steers 12-18 months from Corfield, Northwest Queensland sold from 384c/kg for a run of 120 Angus averaging 336kg, to 352c for 240 Angus x Santa types (pictured) averaging 340kg; 366c for 112 Charolais types averaging 342kg; and 327c for Red Angus crosses averaging 338kg.

Lighter and mediumweight heifer prices lifted strongly on AuctionsPlus trading this week, while other young cattle categories produced mixed results in c/kg terms.

Online cattle offerings lifted 31pc for the week to 12,441 head, with clearance rates for each category strongly linked to offering size. Processor and lotfeeder buying activity lifted to nearly 8pc from 5pc last week.

NSW and Queensland vendors both listed more than 1000 head more that the previous week, while listings fell in Victoria.  There were similar movements in buying behaviour across the states, with NSW and Queensland recording more purchases and Victoria and SA decreasing.

An offering of 1612 steers in the 200-280kg liveweight category saw prices lift 29c/kg on last week to average 431c, however clearance was modest at 64pc .

From Binda, NSW, 46 Angus steers 9-10 months averaging 239kg returned 469c/kg, travelling to a buyer near Wagga Wagga, NSW.

A very small offering of steers less than 200kg produced a 100pc clearance, but average prices fell 32c/kg to 401c. Mediumweight steers 280-330kg also struggled, with an offering of 2035 head clearing 70pc, but seeing a 19c/kg decline in average value to 408c. Steers 330-400kg were well-supplied with 2200 offered, clearing only 63pc and delivering a 10c rise to average 385c.

Heavy steer prices backtracked this week, with those in the +400kg category falling 9c/kg ($124 in $/head terms) to 411c.

Among larger steer lines offered this week, six lots totalling 682 backgrounder steers 12-18 months from Corfield, Northwest Queensland sold from 384c/kg for a run of 120 Angus averaging 336kg, to 352c for 240 Angus x Santa types averaging 340kg; 366c for 112 Charolais types averaging 342kg; and 327c for Red Angus crosses averaging 338kg.

Heifers

Heifers were this week’s highlight, with all three lighter categories sharply higher.

Heifers less than 200kg lifted an average of 66c this week to average 381c, although this was from a small offering of only 287, producing an 81pc clearance. A line of 52 Angus heifers 8-9 months averaging 192kg from Holbrook NSW, returned 354c and will travel to a buyer near Bathurst, NSW.

Heifers 200-280kg were in better supply offering 1545 head, lifting 21c to average 334c, for a clearance of 73pc, while 280-330kg examples attracted 1300 head (clearing 67pc), with prices up 30c to average 352c.

Breeding females

There were mixed results within the reduced offering of breeding stock, including a $409/head boost to $1917 for PTIC cows, but equally large drops in station-mated heifers (down $338 to $1295) and station-mated cows and calves (down $262 to average $1895). Both were on only low numbers. PTIC cows attracted 659 head, clearing 81pc to average $1771, up $15/head.

From Aberfoyle, NSW, 22 Angus cows 3 years and averaging 456kg returned $2300/head and will travel to a buyer in Quirindi, NSW.

Prices as at 2pm Friday August 2.

Source: AuctionsPlus