Scrutiny on PTIC heifers this week

Commercial cattle supplies for AuctionsPlus three largest cattle sales scheduled for the first day of October continue to track 30% above the corresponding period last week, with 16,354 head locked in. Whilst weekly offerings contracted almost 4,000 head from last week’s four-month high, the return of wet weather across large swathes of eastern Australia will once again help to underpin buyer intentions.

Scrutiny upon the clearance rate for PTIC heifers is set to be high again this week – as the stand-off between vendors expectations and buyers’ intentions has widened in recent sales. Within the Eastern States Cattle Sale (commencing 11am EST), PTIC heifers are traditionally the largest segment, making up between 25-50% of the sale. In the past two weeks, clearance rates for the PTIC heifer category have been 40% and 62%, respectively.

Weaner & Yearling Sale 1 (commencing at 9am EST) again features some excellent lines out of northern and central Queensland. With approximately 8,000 head on offer, the 3,283 weaners across 67 lots are expected to continue to be very hotly contested, given this week’s results out of the physical markets. With the southern focus, Weaner & Yearling Sale 2 (commencing at 10am EST) has a smaller offerings of 3,132 head, with some excellent lines of heavy feeder cattle on offer.

Weaner and Yearling sale 1 - NT, QLD & NSW

• Lot 800: From Katherine NT, a line of 260 Brahman weaned heifers aged 6-12-months weighing an average of 185.6kg liveweight. Heifers have the option to BUY NOW for $950/head.

• Lot 801: From Mount Garnet, Queensland, a line of Brahman and Droughtmaster weaner heifers aged 5-12 months and averaging 176.5kg liveweight.

• Lot 906: A line of 51 16-18-month-old Hereford feeder steers from Mullaley, NSW. A total of 102 head across two lines will be offered, with the steers averaging 446.6kg liveweight.

Weaner and Yearling Sale 2 - NSW, VIC & SA

• Lot 105: 70 Angus NSM future breeders from Young, NSW. The heifers are aged 12-15 months and weigh an average of 346.7kg liveweight.

• Lot 169: 93 Angus yearling steers from Pine Mountain, Victoria. The 12-13-month-old steers are of Rennylea bloodlines and weigh an average of 303.7kg liveweight.

• Lot 207: 56 NSM Poll Shorthorn future breeder heifers from Lochaber, SA. The heifers are EU accredited, weigh an average of 374.6kg liveweight and are 13-15 months old.

Eastern States Cattle Sale:

• Lot 303: 132 PTIC Brahman and Brahman cross cows aged 5-14 years. The cows weigh an average of 445kg liveweight and are joined to CBV Brahman bulls and Charbray bulls.

• Lot 472: 46 NSM Red Angus cows with 46 CAF from Albury, NSW. Cows are 5-8 years old and weigh an average of 472.6kg liveweight, while the calves are 1-4 months old and weigh an average of 99kg liveweight.

• Lot 530: 30 Angus heifers from Woodhouse, Victoria. Heifers are 18-19 months old, pure Te Mania Blood and have been pregnancy tested empty, weighing an average of 372.4kg liveweight.

• Lot 565: 38 PTIC Angus heifers from Deloraine, Tasmania, which are joined to Landfall Angus bulls. Heifers are aged 23-25 months and weigh an average of 499kg liveweight.