SAVE for a few saleyards cattle and replacing some cancellations due to rain, most export and domestic beef processors have now closed their books on procurement for the 2023 season, and are now starting to think about 2024.

With only this week and next week left for this year’s operations for many processors, direct consignment requirements are now more or less fully subscribed.

Grids are still circulating in some regions, but little or no business is being written for kills between now and Christmas closures.

Some operators have offered space bookings for early 2024 without a price attached, but interest has dissipated since November’s rain relief.

Several Central Queensland processors lost working days to rain last week, with cattle either unable to be gathered in wet paddocks or unable to be transported. The battle continues this week, but all were confident they would get through with five days.

Some delay cattle will inevitably be carried over into 2024, however.

Many grids across eastern Australia lifted anywhere from 10-30c/kg early last week, in response to both the November rain and the rapid turnaround in saleyards prices – always the first to move after a significant rain event.

This week has seen a big jump in saleyards offerings across Queensland, NSW and Victoria, mostly restocker and feeder types rather than slaughter cattle.

Dalby sale tomorrow is drawling for almost 8500 head, and a similar number is being sold at Roma today, as saleyards prices have risen. Even smaller sales like Warwick this morning yarded 1400, Gunnedah 3200 and Inverell 3000. Feeder type steers in some yards early this week have made 320-330c/kg.

This week’s BOM map showing rainfall during November explains why.

Some Queensland processors have reported isolated cases of reneging on supply commitments (or more accurately, numbers well short of what was originally committed to) this past week, as a result of recent rain. In one example, 800 western Queensland cattle booked turned into 370, leaving a big hole.

Direct consignment grids are unchanged this week, after 10-30c rises the week before. Its unlikely there will be any further adjustments to over the hooks pricing for the remainder of 2023, processors said, following last week’s sharp rises.

The big price advance seen this time last week produced little real response in inquiry, feedback from processors suggested – indicating most producers would now prefer to wait for turnoff at heavier weights in the opening stages of 2024.

Processors in Queensland and northern NSW are now starting to anticipate that there might be a few cattle about during the first quarter next year – provided the current promising start to the season does not run out of steam.

Grids steady

In southern Southern Qld, final grids this week have four-tooth grass ox 460-470c/kg and  heavy cows 390-400c. Central Queensland rates will close the year either the same, or 10c behind the southern QLD prices quoted above.

In southern parts of NSW, four-tooth grass ox this week are 420c/kg, heavy cows 370c, while in eastern parts of SA, four-tooth ox are 420c/kg, and heavy cows 370c.

• Given the current state of play, we’ll focus next week’s Weekly Kill report on prospects for early 2024.