Steer highlights yesterday included these 160 Santa steers 6-9 months averaging 243kg from Blackall, QLD, returning 671c/kg, travelling to a buyer near Roma, QLD.

MOST steer and lighter heifer categories showed significant slides in c/kg value in online trading on Friday.

Cattle listings eased this week, falling 15pc to 11,592 head. Despite the smaller yarding, clearance slipped 4 percentage points to 86pc.

Light steers (0-200kg) were standout performers, clearing at 100% from 368 head offered and averaging 695c/kg LW, though that was back 14c on the previous week. Dollar-per-head values averaged $1,111, ranging from $850 to $1,365.

Queensland was the dominant supply state, recording 4881 head sold at a clearance of 79pc, up 6 percentage points on the prior week. NSW accounted for 3248 head sold at 77pc clearance, also up 6 percentage points, while Victoria contributed 1154 head sold at 78pc clearance.

Entries carrying some Angus genetics accounted for 4435 head sold, producing an 82pc clearance, up 6 percentage points on the week.

Among the steer offering, the 280-330kg category was the only one to show price improvement, up 18c/kg to average 607c, while clearing 96pc of the 1842 offered.

Heavy feeder steers showed a considerably check, back 28c to average 548c/kg, while the very small offering of 288 cleared 100pc.

Steers 330-400kg cleared 81pc of the offering of 800, with prices down 17c/kg to average 575c, while lighter steers 200-280kg lost 29c to average 597c, clearing 97pc of the 1476 offered.

Steer highlights included 160 Santa steers 6-9 months averaging 243kg from Blackall, QLD, returning 671c/kg, travelling to a buyer near Roma, QLD.

Heifer results were mixed, but trended higher among the heavier categories.

Heifers 330-400kg lifted 26c to average 522c, clearing 98pc of the 1238 offered, while lighter 200-280lg heifers lost 35c to average 503c, clearing 83pc of the 1650 offered.

From Mitchell, QLD, a line of 90 Black Simmental/Ultrablack heifers 18-22 months averaging 316kg, EU eligible, returned $1720/head, or 545c/kg and will travel to a buyer near Tara, QLD. Their 94 steer brothers 315kg made 558c/kg.

A mob of 135 Shorthorn x Santa heifers 346kg at 17-20 months from Guyra, northern NSW made 544c and 535/kg.

Following a recent trend, some more lines of NSW- bred Angus that had been shifted north earlier as weaners due to drought have been sold. In one sale, 120 Angus feeder heifers sold out of Longreach western Qld made 526c/kg or $2070.

Breeding females

Breeding female offerings were very modest, with PTIC heifers the largest at 506 head, clearing only 54pc. Those PTIC heifers that did sell averaged $557 better than last week, at $2477. PTIC cows moved in the opposite direction, dropping $423 in value to average $2054, but cleared only 68pc of the 271 head offered. SM cows averaged $2038 from 252 head offered at 81pc clearance, while SM cows and calves cleared 97pc of 227 pairs at $2716/pair.

Thirty Angus PTIC cows 30 months averaging 436kg from Rockley, NSW, returned $2700 and will travel to a buyer near Young, NSW.

Source: AuctionsPlus