RECENT rain through the Northern Territory and parts of northern and central Queensland and the Darling Downs has provided a circuit-breaker for the northern cattle industry.

Although pastures are starting to hay off, there are still patches of green and with temperatures remaining warm (+20C), there will be some late season feed growth in some areas.

This will help to slow slaughter cattle turnoff, as will the heavy rain across the NT which will restrict movements out of central pastoral areas, giving QLD processors a chance to catch up.

Numbers at Roma sale are expected to be back to 3500 tomorrow, which may signal that the heavy numbers of recent weeks may be easing-off, at least until the first frosts arrive.

Southern state processor buying in QLD markets (on a liveweight basis) has seen prices recover somewhat, with bullocks now quoted anywhere from 630c-670c/kg carcase weight in QLD works.

On feeder steers, flatbacks are being sold anywhere from 360-380c/kg liveweight ex Downs, with Angus feeders fetching 455c/kg. Demand for store cattle across QLD seems to be slowing, given the sharp rises in recent weeks, although Elders branches are delivering southern cattle to Longreach and Charleville this week.

As mentioned last week, some agistment opportunities are opening in north-west QLD.

NSW

In NSW, there is a scramble on Angus feeder steers with feedlots paying to 460c/kg lw for and 400-420c/kg for black baldies, with recent price improvements encouraging feedlots to get active on Angus heifers pushing the price from 330c to 380c/kg in recent weeks.

Entry weight feeder cattle look to be in short supply at least until July/August with the pinch not expected to ease until Spring.

The big lift in NSW cattle markets this week has been on restocker cattle with prices for little store cattle pushing from 400c/kg lw to 480-500c in recent weeks and heifers from 300c to 380-400c.

Supermarkets are paying 780c/kg carcase weight for suitable stock while grassfed program cattle contracts are around 780-800c.

While some works are saying they have plenty of cattle booked, vendors in some areas can still get the odd kill in within a week or two.

SA

Elders SA livestock manager has been on holidays, so he hasn’t missed much apart from some dust storms. There has been some rain across SA but not enough to change the current dynamic.

Some more general rain is forecast in SA this week, but the weather will need to be mild to generate some late season pasture growth. Cool nights forecast this week won’t help.

Most of the cows being sold are in the older age groups either being in calf for spring calving or with a little autumn calf. This may slow up providing we see another 10mm of rain next week. Feed growth is very slow and a lot of the 20-30mm last week has already dried up with sub-soil moisture non-existent.

VIC

Many of our long-term agents are commenting that they have never seen conditions in western VIC and south-east SA so dire. Reports of some $400 lamb sales have lifted spirits and cattle are still bringing good money for the right type of stock, but the cost of feeding livestock would be wearing thin.

Tasmania

Some more rain across Tassie last week has helped, but with temperatures turning cold, heavy rainfall won’t really help as it will affect soil temperatures for the worst, with falls of 5-10mm more beneficial and giving a better chance of winter pasture growth.

The Tasmanian slaughter cattle market is unchanged at 720-730/kg cw for program cattle and 580-600c/kg for cows.

There were around 500 Tassie store cattle put up on Auctionsplus last Friday which was more about producers not wanting to feed these cattle through winter. Most were 250-260kg with very few blacks amongst them, with the steer portion selling to 370-380c/kg and heifers 280-320c/kg, with the higher money paid for program-eligible cattle.

There is an order out for dairy heifers 220kg+ for Mexico with prices $850-950/hd. See Beef Central’s earlier story on the Mexican dairy heifer trade here.

WA

There is a public holiday in WA today with our agents celebrating the King’s birthday, but most of the livestock areas received up to 20mm over the last few days with another widespread front heading that way as this item is written.

This should give southern store markets a kick along with the rain promising to give pastures and fodder crops a kick along.

Richard Koch, Elders

Author Richard Koch is Elders business intelligence analyst. He discusses local market conditions and trends with senior Elders managers from across Australia each Monday morning.