September Market Wrap

Cattle - By Tom Rookyard

pring has sprung and so did cattle numbers online. Numbers jumped by 19,000 in August to see 73,958 commercial cattle offered in September. The market appears to be holding as producers look towards the southern weaners sales with an 81% clearance rate across all sales. Southern Queensland was again the largest lister of cattle, closely followed by North West NSW and the Central West of NSW, making up 13%, 9% and 9% of the cattle offered online respectively.

On a buying front Southern Queensland topped the list, purchasing large numbers of Yearling and Grown steers and unjoined heifers. The Central West appears to be continuing to restock being the largest buyer of PTIC cows, PTIC heifers and cows with calves at foot. There is still large amounts of interstate buying going on as cattle numbers stay tight. 41% of cattle offered from Queensland sold to buyers in NSW. While 26% of the 6,900 cattle offered from Victoria sold into NSW.

The market held up and gained a small amount of ground in September compared to August. The short supply of weaner calves saw (for the third time this year) a record price for weaner steers with a line selling for 705c liveweight. Weaner steers averaged 500c across September, up 26c on last month. Weaner heifers also took a step forward in September, averaging 469c, up 3c on last month, topping at 616c, Yearling and grown steers averaged 428c, up 9c and yearling and grown heifers averaged 416c, up 2c. Breeding stock held firm on last month with PTIC cows averaging $1,828, down $11 on last month’s average and topped at $2,900. PTIC heifers averaged $1,793, down $110 on last month. Cows with calves at foot averaged $2,575 and topped at $3,700, up $50 on Augusts average

Sheep - By Teeah Bungey

The month of September saw an influx of sheep and lambs online, with a total offering of 423,057 head, boosted by 102,220 head offered in commercial sheep sales and saleyard interfaces. New season lambs’ categories accounted for 51% of total listings.

After a significant shift in listings regions last month, the Riverina remained in the lead, offering 83,477 head, double that which was offered in August. Central Western and Western NSW round out the top 3, offering 45,192 and 28,803 head, respectively.

The restocking regions continue to dominate online purchases as Central Western, NSW, purchased 74,458 head or 21% of all lots sold online. Merino wether lambs continue to be a popular article seeing 19,390 head enter the region, followed by crossbred lambs and then NSM Merino ewes with each totaling in excess of 10,000 head purchased by central west buyers.

Overall clearance was firmer than August and saw 85% achieved across all sales, up 9% on last month. The first month of Spring saw a change in price direction with most stock categories increasing. The most significant month on month increase was experienced by Merino ewe lambs which were up by $9/hd to average $198, followed by Crossbred Lambs, up 8c.

Merino wether lambs remain highly sought after, achieving a 95% clearance and a price jump of $2 to average $125. Also in high demand were Merino wethers and Border Leicester/Merino Ewe lambs both achieving a 91% clearance and prices remaining firm. Merino ewe lambs were up $9, to average $198. First Cross ewe lambs were up $6 averaging $282. Whilst first cross SIL ewes averaged $343, up $7. Merino SIL ewes and Ewes with LAF were the only categories to ease this month averaging $250, down $2 and $304, down $8 respectively.