This line of 21 weaned Angus steers 5-6 months averaging kg from Hopkins River Pastoral Co, Tatong, Northern Victoria made an AuctionsPlus c/kg record 804.2c/kg this week, returning $1470.

SHARP price rises were recorded for steers and most heifer weight categories in AuctionsPlus trading this week, after a dip in prices for young cattle the week before.

Offerings dropped 8pc across all sales compared with the previous week, to 17,867 head.

The chase for young cattle continued to keep prices near all-time high levels, as eager buyers maintained clearances at more than 90pc. In contrast, prices for cows and joined stock eased this week, with PTIC cows with calves at foot losing almost all of last week’s big gains.

Steers 280-330kg finished $48/head higher this week, averaging $1590/head, with a clearance of 93pc. Similarly, demand for the two lighter categories was also robust, with steers 200-280kg averaging $71 higher at $1388/head, while the very scarce supply of steers less than 200kg had prices averaging $1070/head, with a 95pc clearance.

The lighter heifer categories regained all last week’s declines, and more, with overall supplies back. Heifers 200-280kg averaged $1325 – up $101 on last week, with a 63pc clearance. Heifers 280-330kg also increased significantly, up $69 to average $1518 – with the top price for the week hitting $1890.

These 45 Angus PTIC heifers 17-20 months averaging 388.4kg from Poss Pastoral, Ebor, Northern T’Land NSW made 653.3c/kg or $2500. They have been joined in a tight window to good quality Wagyu Fullblood bulls. “The F1 progeny of these Wagyu bulls and heifers would be a valuable addition any F1 supply chain or feedlot,” the assessor said.

Prices for the indicative categories reported for joined females all took a step lower this week, despite supplies across each category at similar levels to the previous week.

With clearance rates below last week, buyers were reportedly hesitant to meet vendors’ expectations, with only 49pc of the 1311 PTIC cows offered selling. PTIC cows averaged $507 lower for the week, at $2047, with some of the exceptionally high prices of last week absent.

PTIC joined heifers averaged $2123 this week, down $152 – with the high for the week hitting 662c/kg. The limited offering of cows with calves at foot averaged $33 lower for the week, averaging $2730.

Source: AuctionsPlus