DIRECT consignment slaughter grids across eastern and southern Australia are basically unchanged this week, although many processors are now heavily committed up to scheduled Christmas closures.

The gradual rise in rates of production has continued through October, with the past four full processor working weeks averaging almost 129,000 head – easily the highest level of throughput seen all year.

Much of that is due to additional Saturday and overtime shifts being scheduled, rather than any real progress in labour availability, Beef Central was told.

Queensland last week and the week before recorded its two largest seven-day tallies for the year, at +67,000 and almost 69,000 head – both weeks accounting for more than 50pc of nation’s entire kill.

With seven weeks’ operations remaining for many processors in their 2023 seasons, some are warning producers about leaving sale decisions too late, if kills are deemed necessary within this year, due to seasonal or animal welfare pressures.

There are some special arrangements evidently being made this week on compassionate grounds to accommodate kills for Central Queensland producers whose country was burnt-out last week by bushfires.

Slaughter cows 355-360c/kg

Direct consignment offers from large Southern Queensland processors this week have four-tooth grass heavy steer with an implant from 415-440c (some sheds offering 10c more for no HGP) and heavy boner cows 355-360c/kg.

Some Queensland operators are again not offering quotes at all this week, happy with their current bookings through to Christmas closure. Central Queensland operators remain on the same rates as processors in southern parts of the state, or 10c behind.

Southern states processor offers are also little changed this week, although some operators were considering their options this morning. Some quotes are currently withdrawn.

In eastern parts of South Australia, active quotes this week have four-tooth grass ox on 415c/kg, and 360c/kg on heavy cows, while southern NSW has PR grass steers on 395c/kg and 300c on cows, although the cow demand is currently limited, at best.

January/February kills still look a long way off for areas where cattle are now under serious seasonal challenge. A growing number of plants are taking space bookings for January kills, but are unlikely to offer a price until the new year, several operators indicated.

Saleyards results mixed

In the saleyards channel, Gunnedah sale this morning yarded 1350, down a thousand on last week, due to some widespread rain. The condition of the penning was very mixed with limited supplies of well finished grown cattle apart from cows. The limited supply of well-finished heavy grown steers sold to a dearer trend. An increased supply of plainer condition medium weight cows saw a mostly firm market trend with quality contributing to price change. The well finished heavy cows attracted strong competition to sell to a dearer trend of as much as 20c/kg.

Wodonga sale this morning yarded 1500, up 500 head from last week. Heavy steers and bullocks on average sold 20c cheaper, with bullocks averaging 214c/kg. The bigger offering of cows saw prices slip on the back of last week’s dearer market. Heavy cows sold on average 7c cheaper to average 190c, while leaner grades were mostly unchanged to slightly easier.

Warwick sale this morning yarded 863, down 100 on last week. The yarding contained excellent lines of well-finished yearling cattle suited to the trade plus well finished export bullocks and cows which kept prices firm to dearer across these lines. Good young bullocks to the export processors sold to 232c with those over 600kg at 224c to average 222c/kg. Score 2 heavy cows to processors sold from 117c to 167c with the fat score 3 cows at 188c to average 177c and high yielding euro cows at 195c to 198c/kg.

Forbes sale yesterday yarded 1146 head, up 300. There were extra buyers present and competing in a more buoyant market. Yearling steers to feed sold from 175 to 227c/kg. The better finished types to processors received from 180c to 215c/kg. The heifer portion lifted 19c/kg with processors paying from 130c to 213c/kg while those to feed received from 160c to 195c/kg.  Heavy steers and bullocks sold from 170c to 215c/kg. Grown heifers reached 199c/kg. Cows held steady with heavy 2 score selling from 132 to 155c/kg and 3 & 4 score receiving 152-190c/kg.