Young steers, 200-280kg liveweight, averaged $1,551/head, which was up 22% on the corresponding period in 2020 and 120% from the drought lows of 2019. Similarly, heifers of the same weight range averaged $1,437/head in 2021, up 40% and 143% on 2020 and 2019, respectively. Interestingly, the numbers of steers and heifers offered online for both categories were higher in 2019, compared to 2021, indicating the magnitude of the sell-off of drought impacted weaners through 2019 - even with an overall doubling of total numbers offered through AuctionsPlus by 2021.
PTIC heifers for January – May 2021 averaged $2,485/head – up 40% on the same period in 2020 and 106% on 2019.
With 8,376 Angus cows with CAF offered through January – May 2021, prices averaged $3,337/unit, an increase of 53% on 2020 and 141% from the depth of the 2019 drought.
Similarly, PTIC cows, with 8,553 head offered so far in 2021, averaged $2,481/head – up 32% on 2020 and 126% from 2019. Compared to Angus PTIC heifers in 2021, this was only $4 cheaper, while in 2020, the average PTIC Cow was $111/head higher.