It was a varied week for online sales, with the 26% increase in total throughput, at 20,668 head, largely felt through the mid-weight steer and heifer lines. In the breeding selections, demand was strong for the heavier populated PTIC heifer and PTIC cow lines, while prices largely took a step back for the thinner traded breeding categories.
Patchy falls through the eastern half of the eastern states for the week were welcomed in several regions, boosting fodder crops, while the forecast for the onset of cold weather through the south and heavy frosts may start to influence the market.
Steers 200-280kg averaged $74 lower this week, at $1,409/head, as supplies for the weight range more than doubled compared to the previous week, at 3,102 head – with a healthy 88% clearance rate. With numbers close to last week for the two heavier categories, prices increased $66 head for the 280-330kg steers, to average $1,689/head, while 330-400kg steers edged $16 higher, to average $1,784/head.
A 14% weekly increase in PTIC heifer offerings, at 2,877 head, failed to impact the average price for the week, rising $48, to $2,273/head. For the young heifer lines, prices averaged higher for the 200-280kg and 280-330kg categories, averaging $1,358 and $1,550/head, respectively. For the 330-400kg heifer category, an offering of 1,036 head resulted in an 85% clearance rate – with the average price slipping $45 on last week, to average $1,628/head.
Quality was varied through some of the smaller categories this week, leading to some large price movements – in both directions. The lightest steer and heifer categories contracted $191 and $153/head, respectively on last week, to $1,040 and $916/head, respectively. Similarly, the heavy steer category contracted $263 on last week, to average $1,861/head, with only 278 head available.
A feature for the week and boosting the PTIC Cows and CAF category was an outstanding line of 43 PTIC cows with CAF, which sold to $4,150/unit. From Garfield North, Victoria, the 4–5-year-old Angus cows, with Te Mania and Rennylea bloodlines averaged 606kg liveweight, with 5–7-month-old calves at foot averaging 243kg.
NOTE: Prices as at 2pm Friday, May 14th 2021
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