Part of an offering of 196 Droughtmaster heifers 12-24 from Jersey Plains Pastoral, Cloncurry which made 377c/kg for a line of 112 averaging 334kg and 417c/kg for a line of 84 averaging 326kg.

It was a varied week for online sales, with the 26pc increase in total throughput, at 20,668 head, largely felt through the mid-weight steer and heifer lines.

Quality was varied through some of the smaller categories this week, leading to some large price movements – in both directions.

Lighter steers and heifers experienced some big declines in value, while breeding stock saw both large rises and falls. In the breeding selections, demand was strong for the heavier populated PTIC heifer and PTIC cow lines, while prices largely took a step back for the thinner traded breeding categories.

Patchy rainfall was welcomed in several regions, boosting fodder crops, while the forecast for the onset of cold weather through the south and heavy frosts may start to influence the market.

Among young cattle, steers less than 200kg fell 98c/kg on average this week, at 586c/kg, with only 419 head offered. Steers 200-280kg averaged 28c lower at 568c/kg, as supplies for the weight category more than doubled compared to the previous week, at 3102 head – with a healthy 88pc clearance.

With numbers close to last week for the two heavier categories, prices increased 22c/kg for the 280-330kg steers, averaging 556c, while 330-400kg steers edged 6c higher to average 506c. Heavy feeders +400kg fell 49c/kg on average this week to 411c, with only 278 offered.

For the young heifer lines, lightweights less than 200kg fell 75c/kg this week on average to 543c/kg. Heifers 200-280kg lifted 11c/kg to average 549c, while 280-330kg heifers improved 5c to510c. The heavier heifers 330-400kg dropped 5c/kg to 456c, while +400kg descriptions dropped 26c to 402c.

Despite a 14pc weekly increase in PTIC heifer offerings, at 2877 head, prices rise 99c/kg on average to 505c/kg.

With an offering of 1671 head, PTIC cows dropped 90c/kg in value to average 405c, and Non-mated cows dropped 93c/kg to average 287c.

A feature for the week was an outstanding line of 43 PTIC Angus cows Te Mania and Rennylea bloodlines, 4–5 years averaging 606kg, with 5–7-month-old calves at foot, from Garfield North, Victoria which sold to $4150/unit.

Some big breeding female lines came out of Queensland’s northwest this week, with 154 PTIC Brahman cows from Abdy Grazing Cloncurry, 2-15 years averaging 487kg making 339c/kg or $1650/head; and 196 Droughtmaster heifers 12-24 from Jersey Plains Pastoral, Cloncurry making 377c/kg for a line of 112 averaging 334kg and 417c/kg for a line of 84 averaging 326kg.

Prices as at 2pm Friday 14 May

Interstate online demand boosts competition

CATTLE sold at the Hunter Regional Livestock Exchange Prime Sale on Wednesday were snapped up by online buyers from as far south as Leongatha in the Gippsland region of Victoria, as ongoing demand for lighter types continues to inspire restockers to look further afield.

In total, more than 600 head of mixed-quality cattle were sold, with the heifer price peaking at 605c/kg for a line from DE and G Thomas, Lake St Clair.

More than 70 viewers, including 18 registered bidders, tuned in to watch the auction in real-time as online buyers delivered fierce competition to those at the yards, pushing the steer price to 720c/kg for an Angus cross pen also offered by DE and G Thomas.

The cow price was firm and reached 298.2c/kg for an Angus offering from Robert Harris, Braxton.

John Ramsey, Turangga Farm, a thoroughbred stud which breeds and trains yearling horses outside Scone, secured a small run for his cattle operation.

Due to Mr Ramsey’s busy schedule he opted to access the market without travelling to the physical sale and logged on to StockLive through his mobile, chasing light stock to finish and turnover quickly.

“I look to buy whatever I think I can make a profit on,” Mr Ramsey said.

This included a pen of Angus vealer bulls bought for 358c/kg, which received 45 bids in total and will be turned into steers to finish.

“I can get a gauge of what I’m buying through the pictures beforehand, and I bid on the cattle suitable and within the range I want to pay. I don’t have time to make it to the Singleton sale, so buying online is my preference,” he said.

Earlier in the week, at the Scone Prime Sale on Tuesday, the steer price reached 675c/kg with Stocklive buyers playing a lead role in driving bidding competition.

Cattle from the sale, which included more than 700 head, also made their way south, with some lots heading to buyers also within the Gippsland region of Victoria.

Close to 20 percent of bids were made through StockLive, and 11 lots were snapped up by online buyers.

A highlight of the sale included a tidy pen of 10 Charolais cross vealer heifers, which weighed 305kg and were bought by an online buyer from Cassilis for 496c/kg.

Sources: AuctionsPlus, Stocklive