The very dry conditions around Blackall in Central QLD saw the offering of this line of 120 Angus x Brangus weaned steers 7-11 months averaging 267kg, selling for 345.7c/kg or $882.

COMMERCIAL cattle listing numbers poked their head up this week, lifting by eight percent on the previous week to 7785 head.

However the prolonged dry across eastern Australia continued to tighten its grip as the national online clearance fell by 4pc to 46pc.

One agent was heard to say that it’s the cheapest and dearest market he knows – his listed cattle weren’t making enough, and the ones he wanted to buy were too expensive.

With some vendors still chasing last week’s prices, as the Eastern Young Cattle Indicator continues to trend down, there was a plethora of potential buyers logging into the sale, with 420 unique users heading online to see what’s happening in the market.

AuctionsPlus said it was expecting a number of post-sale contracts to be achieved from this week’s fixtures.

PTIC females sold to a top of $1530 for this line of 24-28 month old Hereford heifers PTIC to Angus bulls from Mitta Mitta, VIC.

Preg tested cows and heifers averaged $1166 this week, ranging from $990 to a top of $1530 for a line of 24-28 month old Hereford heifers from Mitta Mitta, VIC which were PTIC to Rennylea Angus bulls.

Another a line of Wattletop and Bald Blair blood heifers from Gunnedah, NSW, PTIC to Angus bulls, sold for $1290.

Out of Taroom, Queensland, a line of 48 PTIC Droughtmaster cows 3-9 years, including 11 with calves at foot, sold for $1750.

Cows and calves ranged from $1470 to $2820 with an average of $2188. The top price lot was part of a herd dispersal for Heathfield Farming, from Spence, SA. The vendor offered five mobs of Nampara blood Angus cows and calves, with the top price lot being three-year-old 528kg station-mated cows, with Angus calves at foot. The same vendor also had a line of four-year-old Angus cows with Angus calves at foot which sold for $2810.

Out of Taroom, QLD this line of 48 PTIC Droughtmaster cows 3-9 years, including 11 with calves at foot, sold for $1750.

Cows and calves ranged from $1470 to $2820 this week, with an average of $2188. The top price was part of this herd dispersal for Heathfield Farming, from Spence, SA.

In a breakdown of young cattle sold this week, by weightrange:

Steers less than 250kg sold from 315c to 354c/kg to average 341c; while heifers sold from 253-310c to average 286c
Steers 250-300kg sold from 315-360c to average 338c; while heifers sold from 273-311c to average 295c
Steers 300-350kg sold from 279-341c to average 318c; while heifers sold from 284-308c to average 295c
Steers 350kg+ sold from 316-327c to average 322c; while heifers sold from 275-298c to average 287c.

Steer highlights this week this week included 10-11 month old 323kg Angus steers from Cassilis, NSW selling for 352c/$1136; 385kg Angus cross steers from Tocumwal, NSW selling for 317c/$1220; and 369kg Poll Hereford steers from Avenel, VIC selling for 328c/$1210.

The very dry conditions around Blackall in Central Queensland saw the offering of a line of 120 EU-eligible Angus x Brangus weaned steers 7-11 months averaging 267kg, selling for 345.7c/kg or $882.

Heifer highlights included 16-18 month old Hereford heifers from Harden, NSW which sold for 280c/$1240; 10-12 month Angus heifers from Boorowa, NSW selling for 299c/$1100; and 255kg Angus heifers from Moonan Flat, NSW selling for 312c/$795.

Poll Wagyu sale

In interfaced seedstock sales this week, the first sale offering of hetrozygous Poll Wagyu bull calves offered by Poll Wagyu Pty Ltd near Mackay, Qld saw 13 of 20 bulls offered sell, for prices ranging from $8000 to $15,000, to average $9076.

Source: AuctionsPlus