Cattle prices in Central Australia surged to record levels when buyers from four states competed on the 2941 cattle yarded for the annual Alice Springs Show Sale yesterday.

Prices topped at 294c/kg for locally bred Hereford and Angus cross steers and 270c/kg for heifers.

Buyers included restockers, feedlots and processors from NSW, Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia, while live export buyers also added to the competition.

Some of the bigger purchasers included Teys Australia’s Charlton Feedlot, WA based exporter LSS, Primaries WA, SA Livestock and Platinum Livestock (SA).

Jock McPherson from Territory Rural McPherson said the sale was “outstanding”, prompting selling agents to organise another sale for next month.

Alice Springs normally holds just one sale per year, which is run in conjunction with the annual show. It id not hold a sale at all last year due to the poor season and low demand for cattle at the time.

However, in an emphatic demonstration of how much can change in the space of a year, the red centre is now set to hold two sales within weeks as the local cattle industry seeks to capitalise on strong demand while it lasts.

“The market was outstanding, way above expectations”

“The market was outstanding, way above expectations,” Mr McPherson told Beef Central following yesterday’s sale.

“We have set another date in August and we’re already receiving bookings.”

Territory Rural McPherson yarded 2194 cattle in the 2941 head offering to return an average price per kilogram of 247.3c and an average return per head of $772.95.

The top price was 294c/kg or $944.62/hd paid for a line of 321.3kg Hereford/Angus/Brangus cross steers offered by Allan and Jo Fogarty of Lucy Creek Station.

The same vendors also received 287c/kg or $966.90/hd for a line of two tooth steers weighing 336.9kg on average.

The top price paid for heifers was 270c/kg of $950/head for a line of Brangus heifers offered by Roy and Janet Chisholm of Napperby Station.

EYCI climbs to 534c.25/kg

Meanwhile the Eastern Young Cattle Indicator has gained 21c/kg for the week to close after Thursday’s sales at 534.25¢, the highest value on record in the 19 years since the indicator was introduced in 1996.

The indicator now stands 192.25c/kg above last year’s level of 342c/kg.