Part of a line of 900 Walhallow, NT steers sold for 323c/kg or $1040 on Friday to a Darwin live export buyer.

WITH post-rain cattle supply tightening further last week and demand increasing across the Eastern States, cattle numbers on AuctionsPlus increased a little to almost 8000 head for the week.

There was an even spread of young cattle (both steers and heifers) and breeders evident among listings, attracting a broad buying panel representing restockers, backgrounders, feedlots, processors and live exporters. A total of 476 bidders logged on to Friday’s sales, delivering a 96pc clearance of cattle offered.

Two large lines featured this week.

Walhollow Pastoral Co near Tennant Creek, NT offered a single line of 960 Brahman and Brahman cross heifers averaging 294kg, selling for 308c/kg or $907, while their 900 brothers, pictured above, averaging 322kg, sold for 323c/kg or $1040. The steers went to live export buyers out of Darwin, while the heifers went to a Darling Downs lotfeeder.

In another large offering, Minnamurra Pastoral Co, Boggabri, NSW offered 582 Speckle Park x Angus cattle on Friday, with the steer portion in five mobs from 266kg to 400kg, making from $1090 to $1690, and the heifers ranging from 239kg to 303kg making from $900 to $1140.

Light steers to 482c/kg

Among lighter cattle on offer, Cobungra Station, Omeo, NSW attracted the top prices this week for 189kg Angus steers making 482c/kg or $915, and Hereford and Angus/Hereford heifers, 179kg, selling for 442c/kg or $795.

Among lighter cattle on offer, Cobungra Station, Omeo, NSW attracted the top prices this week for 189kg Angus steers making 482c/kg or $915

Further stand-out lines this week were 311kg Simmental/Angus steers from Molong, NSW making 407c/kg or $1265 and 335kg Angus steers, from Oberon, NSW making an impressive 409c/kg or $1370.

A line of 270kg Angus Heifers from Guyra, NSW sold for 399c/kg or $1080 and 412kg Shorthorn and Shorthorn cross heifers, from Yetman, NSW sold for an impressive 328c/kg or $1355.

In a breakdown of young cattle sales, by weight:

• Steers less than 250kg sold from 375c to 482c to average 430c/kg, up 43c; while heifers in the same weight range sold from 308c to 442c to average 370c, rising 37c.
• Steers 250-300kg sold from 369c to 411c to average 394c, rising 14c; while heifers sold from 306c to 399c to average 361c, up 41c.
• Steers 300-350kg sold from 323c to 415c to average 382c, up 19c; while heifers sold from 360c to 376c to average 371c, rising 45c.
• Steers 350kg+ sold from 336c to 422c to average 369c, rising 1c; while heifers in the heaviest weight range sold from 314c to 338c to average 326c.

Breeding cattle

Among breeding cattle, PTIC heifers offered in Friday’s sale averaged $1475, with a line of Angus cross heifers from Toobeah, QLD PTIC to Angus bulls, selling for a top price of $1760.

Young PTIC cows averaged $1483, with a line of 3-5 year old composite cross cows from Forbes, NSW PTIC to Angus x Shorthorn and Angus x Simmental bulls, selling for a top of $1750. The same vendor offered the top line of mixed-aged PTIC females, a line of 6-12 year old composite cows PTIC to similar composite bulls, which sold for $1700.

Cow and calf numbers this week remained steady with a line of young Banquet blood Angus cows, weighing 616kg, with Rennylea blood Angus calves at foot, making a huge $2410.

From the Western Australian sale, a line of 3-5 year old Angus cows, weighing 565kg, with Lawsons Angus calves at foot weighing 259kg, made a whopping $2600, whilst their older sisters 8-12 years weighing 598kg made a comparable $2575.

Targeted Feeder sale

Earlier last week, the AuctionsPlus Targeted Feeder Sale attracted 773 feeder-weight steers and heifers from Queensland and NSW. With 37 feedlots, agents and producers logged into the sale, there was strong competition and bidding with a 97pc clearance.

This line of 96 376kg Santa heifers from Glenmorgan Qld sold for the top price of 345c/kg or $1298/head at last week’s Targeted Feeder Sale.

The steer portion averaged 346c/kg, with Droughtmaster steers from Roma Qld, weighing 352kg selling for the top price of 352c/kg or $1341. The heifer portion averaged 339c/kg, with a line of 96 376kg Santa heifers from Glenmorgan Qld selling for the top price of 345c/kg or $1298/head. A  further 265 heifers from the same vendor, similar breeding, weighing from 377kg to 439kg, sold from 343c to 347c/kg.

Click here for Targeted Feeder Sale report.