Yarding 5000 Change -500

At Wagga cattle numbers declined to 5000, 500 less than the previous sale. Not all buyers made it to the sale with some exporters not in attendance.

Quality was very good to fair with export cattle showing plenty of finish.

Light weight steers and heifers were in short supply and restockers were not as keen as passed markets, with dry conditions causing concerns.

For trade cattle weighing between 400-500kg, prices experienced a notable decline, dropping by 22c to settle between 280c and 350c/kg. On the other hand, the pick of the veal saw some stronger bidding with a major domestic buyers at the sale. Prices ranged between 300c and 362c/kg. Feeder steers showed some resilience, with prices remaining mostly unchanged; however, there were instances of odd sales that went for higher prices than the previous week. The range for  medium weight feeder steers sold from 300c to 372c/kg. On the other hand, feeder heifers faced erratic competition, particularly among lighter weights, which saw a drop of 30c, averaging around $875 per head. Medium-weight feeder heifers also encountered weak competition, slipping by 8c to sell in the range of 246c to 318c/kg.

The export market showed positive signs, particularly for bullocks, where prices increased by 17c/kg. The bulk of bullocks sold for between 325c to 373c/kg. Heavy steers remained unchanged, selling from 320c to 350c/kg. Notably, heavy heifers experienced a significant uptick of 23c, with prices ranging from 295 to 353 cents per kilogram. The cow market showed solid demand at a particular price level, though prices were pulled back by 15-20c/kg. Heavy cows sold for 260c to 292c, while leaner types fetched prices between 228c and 263c/kg..

Market Reporter: Leann Dax

Source: NLRS Click here to view full Wagga report on NLRS website.