This offering of 144 Droughtmaster steers 11-16 months averaging 285kg from Prairie, North Qld made 372c/kg on Friday  

ONLINE cattle listings on Elders and Nutrien’s AuctionsPlus platform more than doubled to 8492 head on Friday. Buyer appetite was stronger, with recent rains no doubt helping confidence.

Clearance was a healthy 77 percent, which is up on the previous sale (pre-Easter lull).

There were strong price rises across most medium and heavier steer and heifer categories, while breeding stock results were mixed.

Steers 200-280kg registered a larger offering of 1082 head and averaged 423c/kg – unchanged from the previous week. Prices ranged from 239-509c/kg.

Thirty Angus steers six to eight months averaging 276kg from Tumut, NSW returned 439c/kg or $1210/head and will travel to a buyer near Cootamundra, NSW.

Steers 280-330kg averaged 388c last week, up 16c on the week before.

Among larger lines, an offering of 144 Droughtmaster steers 11-16 months averaging 285kg from Prairie, North Qld made 372c/kg.

Steers 330-400kg saw a larger offering of 801 head last week, averaging 365c – up 19c from the prior week for a 89pc clearance. Prices ranged from 160-424c.

From Guyra NSW, 50 Charolais x Shorthorn weaner steers 8-9 months averaging 361kg returned 402c/kg and will travel to a buyer near Willow Tree, NSW. A further 32 heifer sisters 340kg made 311.6c/kg

Heavy feeder steers +400kg saw a rise of 35c/kg to average 333c on a limited offering of 225 head. Younger cattle came back onto the platform in much greater numbers.

Heifers

There were big jumps in the numbers of heifers offered on Friday across every category except the lightest, which fell by 70pc to 68 head.

There were 558 heifers 200-280kg offered, averaging 338c, up 30c, for a clearance of 72pc.

From Barraba, NSW a line of 85 Wagyu/Angus heifers aged seven to nine months averaging 278kg returned $1200/head, or 432c/kg lwt and will travel to a buyer in Barraba, NSW.

Heifers 280-330kg jumped to 931 head from the previous week’s 36 head and buyer appetite jumped with it. Prices lifted by 40c/kg to average 309c for an 84pc clearance. Prices ranged from 205-383c.

A line of 37 Angus heifers 9-11 months averaging 303kg from Spring Ridge returned 383c/kg and will travel to a buyer near Trangie, NSW.

A small offering of +400kg heifers averaged 306c, down 10c on the previous week

Breeding females

Breeding female price trends were mixed, with some large falls and rises on a $/head basis. The two most significant offerings in terms of stock were:

PTIC heifers, which registered a 61pc larger offering of 858 head and averaged $1664 – down $193 from last week for a 47pc clearance. From Guyra, NSW 73 Angus heifers 18-20 months averaging 431kg returned $1700/head and will travel to a buyer near Bourke, NSW.

PTIC cows numbers jumped threefold to 920 head and averaged $1814 – up $393 from last week for a 82pc clearance. From Carinda, NSW 45 Santa cows 3 years averaging 483kg returned $1670/head and will travel to a buyer near Warren, NSW.

Prices as at 2pm Friday 5 April

Source: AuctionsPlus