Weekly Cattle Comments - 14.04.22

The sideways path of the national cattle market continued this week, with the three consecutive short weeks failing to put a “hop” into buyers’ willingness, or indeed, a “cooling” in vendors expectations. AuctionsPlus commercial cattle numbers only reached 9,575 head this week, impacted by the shorter selling week.

As is also the case through the December and January holiday periods, a run of reduced trading weeks in autumn can create some short-term market volatility that is not truly reflective of the market sentiment. Adding to this week’s movements is a seasonal outlook that is starting to take on greater weight with every week that passes. Recent falls through central and parts of northern NSW were largely welcomed by producers, with the focus on winter cropping programs also taking attention away from livestock markets.

Table 1: AuctionsPlus National Weekly Cattle Prices
Table 2: AuctionsPlus Queensland Weekly Cattle Prices
Table 3: AuctionsPlus Angus Weekly Cattle Prices

The main movement this week through AuctionsPlus reduced commercial offerings was for PTIC heifers, slipping back 11% in price, to average $2,713/head. Interestingly, while the average price was the lowest for several weeks, the clearance rate was also the highest for several weeks, at 83% - signaling that vendors eased reserve levels from previous week, anxious to lock in income heading into the second half of Autumn. Out of Wandoan, Southern Queensland, 34 PTIC Santa Gertrudis heifers, joined to Santa Gertrudis bulls, sold to $2,960/head – averaging 527kg/head and ranging in age for 20-30 months. Topping the southern markets was 35 PTIC Angus heifers out of Coolac, NSW. Joined to Angus bulls, the PTIC heifers averaged 545kg/head and aged 20-21 months of age, sold to $3,620/head.

With numbers well back on previous weeks, the young steer market was patchy, with 200-280kg steers averaging $24 higher on last week, at $1,792/head – with a 72% clearance rate for the 1,731 head offered. 106 Angus weaned steers, out of Casterton, Victoria, sold to $2,170/head – averaging 270kg lwt, aged 7-8 months. 280-330kg steers averaged $23 lower on last week, at $1,949/head, with a 77% clearance rate for the 1,071 head offered.

For the heavier lines, the market was marginally higher, albeit, with clearance rates well back on previous weeks for much reduced offerings. 330-400kg steers averaged $50 higher, at $2,167/head, while 400kg lines averaged $2,505/head.

Young heifer prices largely matched the steer lines, with the reduced numbers impacting clearance rates and average prices. The largest category for the week, at 721 head, 200-280kg heifers declined $208 on last week, to average $1,554/head – with only a 58% clearance rate recorded. Some of the more indicative results for the week included 100 Charolais and Charolais/Droughtmaster cross weaned heifers, out of Richmond, North Queensland, which sold to $1,400/head – averaging 198kg lwt and ranging from 5-7 months of age.

In the southern markets, 34 Hereford NSM future breeders, out of Glenrowan West, Victoria, sold to $2,150/head – averaging 389kg lwt, aged 13-15 months. From Minlaton, SA, 16 Red Poll weaned heifers sold to $1,700/head – averaging 308kg lwt, aged 10-12 months.

18 SM Charbray cows, with 18 CAF sold to $4,110/head. Out of Roma, Southern Queensland, the cows ranged from 2-12 years of age, averaging 585kg lwt, while the calves, sired by Droughtmaster bulls, averaged 149kgs lwt.

NOTE: Prices as at 2pm, Thursday 14^th April 2022