After a disrupted week due to the Australia Day long weekend, AuctionsPlus cattle sales rebounded this week with listings rising almost threefold to 17,012. Compared to the start of last year, the industry is leaping out of the gates — it wasn't until April of 2023 that AuctionsPlus had that many head offered.
The trend of big offerings that we saw last year has continued, and buyer sentiment continues to be strong despite the volume — clearance was a robust 75% while prices are holding. Value over reserve erased last week's fall to rise 20%.
Processors were active last week, with 19% of the sold offering, and were in force again this week. Across the 2000-odd head bought by processors this week, the average price paid was 350c/kg liveweight, with an average weight of 410kg.
Table 1: AuctionsPlus National Weekly Cattle Prices
Report: Interactive Market Dashboard
Steers
Larger steers saw strong price gains across the platform, although that did hit clearance rates compared to young steers. In the smaller categories prices fell back but clearance was near the top.
Steers 400kg + rose sixfold to 1,477 head and averaged $1,616/head — up $89 from last week for a 72% clearance. Prices ranged from 320 — 388c and averaged 369c/kg lwt.
Steers 330-400kg doubled to 2,284 head and averaged $1,359/head — up $38 from last week for a 81% clearance. Prices ranged from 301 — 439c and averaged 377c/kg lwt. From Coolah, NSW a line of 190 Angus steers aged 14 to 16 months and weighing 342kg returned $1500/head, or 439c/kg lwt and will travel to a buyer in Gundagai, NSW.
Steers 200-280kg tripled to 982 head and averaged 1,039/head but saw prices dip — down $63 from last week for a 94% clearance. Prices ranged from 205 — 508c and averaged 416c/kg lwt. From Texas, NSW a line of 20 Angus/Santa Gertrudis steers aged 6 to 9 months and weighing 222kg returned $1070/head, or 482c/kg lwt and will travel to a buyer in Millmerran, QLD.
Heifers
Heifers doubled in terms of offering across the 200-400kg categories with price rises across the board. The largest category — 400kg + — saw a sixfold increase in listings and a $38 lift in liveweight prices. Across 988 head, prices averaged $1,411/head or 323c/kg lwt and ranged from 238 - 423c. Clearance was a strong 83%. From Walcha, NSW a line of 49 Angus heifers aged 16 to 17 months and weighing 433kg returned $1520/head, or 351c/kg lwt and will travel to a buyer in Gympie, QLD.
Breeding stock
After strong recent gains, PTIC and station-mated (SM) heifers fell back to earth price-wise this week with clearance also low. PTIC Heifers registered a larger offering of 1,262 head and averaged 1,776/head — down $224 from last week for a 36% clearance, while SM Heifers dropped $125 from last week for just a 19% clearance of a relatively small offering of 507 head.
Heifers and cows with calves at foot performed strongly by contrast with strong gains for SM and NSM Heifers & Calves. NSM Heifers & Calves registered a 50% larger offering of 285 head and averaged $1,978/head - up $629 from last week for a 54% clearance. SM Heifers & Calves rose 22% to 440 head to average $2,468/head — up $149 from last week for a 76% clearance.
From Armidale, NSW a line of 49 Angus/Santa SM Heifers & Calves aged 28 to 30 months old and weighing 398kg returned $2480/head, or 624c/kg lwt and will travel to a buyer in Dubbo, NSW.
Note: Prices as at 2pm Friday, 2nd February 2024
Table 1: AuctionsPlus National Cattle Prices
AuctionsPlus Interactive Cattle Market Report
