Weekly Cattle Comments - 12.05.23 (with NEW Interactive Reporting)

Listings of commercial cattle on AuctionsPlus slipped back 5% this week to 17,584 head. The combination of a higher value over reserve at $110 and a lower clearance rate of 38% reinforces the trend of buyers cherry-picking the best breeding females. Competition for a select group of breeding stock has supported higher value over reserve, while deteriorating restocker demand for young cattle, which contribute 62% of listings, has weighed down on clearance rates.

Table 1: AuctionsPlus National Weekly Cattle Prices
Table 2: AuctionsPlus Queensland Cattle Prices
Table 3: AuctionsPlus Angus Cattle Prices
Report: Interactive Market Dashboard - NEW

Prices were mostly lower across steer and heifer categories except for the heavier 400kg+ categories which saw solid gains – suggesting that feeder and processor demand is currently stronger than restocker demand.

Steers

Steers weighing 200-280kg registered 2,832 head and averaged $1,055/head – down $64 from last week for a 50% clearance rate. Prices ranged from 338-498c and averaged 425c/kg lwt. From Booborowie, SA, a line of 61 Angus steers aged 9-10 months old and weighing 279kg returned $1,176/head, or 422c/kg lwt.

330-400kg steers registered 1,605 head and averaged $1,378/head – down $72 from last week for a 52% clearance rate. Prices ranged from 302-470c and averaged 391c/kg lwt. From Alexandria, Victoria, a line of 100 Angus steers aged 9-11 months old and weighing 343kg returned $1,610/head, or 470c/kg lwt.

Heifers

Heifers weighing 200-280kg registered 1,594 head and averaged $831/head – down $65 from last week for a 47% clearance rate. Prices ranged from 255-407c and averaged 347c/kg lwt. From Wantabadgery, NSW, a line of 140 Poll Hereford heifers aged 7-8 months old and weighing 221kg returned $900/head, or 407c/kg lwt. A line of 140 brothers to those heifers from the same vendor weighed 227kg and returned $1,050/head, or 461c/kg lwt.

280-330kg heifers registered 876 head and averaged $1,023/head – down $148 from last week for a 38% clearance rate. Prices ranged from 157-418c and averaged 337c/kg lwt. From Koorawatha, NSW, a line of 24 Shorthorn heifers aged 9-10 months old and weighing 311kg returned $1,300/head, or 418c/kg lwt.

Breeding Stock

PTIC heifers registered 1,977 head, 45% less than last week as we move away from the peak supply period. Prices averaged $1,528/head – down $106 from last week for a 30% clearance rate. From Taroom, Queensland, a line of 46 Angus PTIC heifers aged 15-24 months old and weighing 500kg returned $2,040/head.

Listings of PTIC cows increased 10% to 1,929 head and listings of SM cows lifted 78% to 1,028 head as we approach the peak supply period for joined cows as producers consolidate breeding herds heading into Winter. PTIC cow prices averaged $1,927/head – down $39 from last week for a 27% clearance rate. From Guyra, NSW, a line of 55 rising four-year-old Angus PTIC cows weighing 565kg returned $2,560/head.

Note: Prices as at 2pm Friday, 12^th May 2023

Table 1: AuctionsPlus National Cattle Prices

Table 2: AuctionsPlus Queensland Cattle Prices

Table 3: AuctionsPlus Angus Cattle Prices

AuctionsPlus Interactive Cattle Market Report