Weekly Cattle Comments - 13.01.23

With the return to a full trading week, AuctionsPlus commercial cattle offerings reached a total of 11,518 head this week, with the heavier end of the steer market registering steady numbers. While plenty of attention continues to be fixed on weaner sales in the south, online activity was robust this week, reflecting the end-of-auction clearance rates registered through the early weeks of December.

While January markets can experience increased volatility with short trading weeks and disrupted markets, the generally cheaper online trend this week matched the results through the weaner sales, with buyer cautiousness apparent. With finishing conditions improving as summer conditions take hold through previously saturated southern regions, the supply of cattle through to the start of March will be closely watched, especially if the wet season really takes hold through Queensland.

Table 1: AuctionsPlus National Weekly Cattle Prices

Table 2: AuctionsPlus Angus Cattle Prices

Comparatively, a very large offering of 400kg+ steers was offered this week, with the 1,749 head selling to a 47% clearance rate and averaging $1,869/head – down $94 on last week’s very thin market. From Sidonia, Victoria a line of 33 Angus feeder steers aged 15-16 months weighing 462kg lwt returned $2,070/head.

A steady supply of 330-400kg steers was also offered, with 1,405 head selling to a 53% clearance rate at the immediate close of the auction. Averaging $1,659/head, prices were down 9% from the corresponding sale in December last year. A line of 85 8-10-month-old Angus weaner steers weighing 362kg lwt from Sutton Grange, Victoria, returned $1,770/head and will travel to Holbrook, NSW.

There was a reduced offering through the lighter steer lines, with 280-330kg steers slipping back $46 on last week, to average $1,539/head – albeit with a weekly high clearance rate for the steer categories of 72%. A large run of 115 Angus steers weighing 317kg lwt aged between 8-10 months returned $1,670/head and will travel to a buyer in Orange, NSW. Only 500 head of 200-280kg steers were offered this week, averaging $1,368/head, at a 52% clearance rate. From Deepwater, NSW, a line of 45 Angus steers aged 8-10 months weighing 250kg lwt returned $1,520/head and will travel to Borenore, NSW.

Numbers continued to be well back for the young heifer lines, only making up 22% of the entire market. 280-330kg heifers averaged $1,417/head, with the 1,072 head offering selling to a subdued clearance rate of 33%. Given the action through the weaner sales, post-sale negotiations are expected to lift final sales in the coming days. From Mitchell, Queensland, a line of 113 Santa Gertrudis heifers aged 11-14 months weighing 328kg lwt returned $1,360/head.

Clearance rates lifted from last week for 200-280kg heifer lines, to 61%, albeit for a limited offering of 722 head – averaging $1,159/head. A line of Angus heifers aged 9-14 months weighing 267kg lwt from Tenterfield, NSW, returned $1,390/head to a buyer in Warialda, NSW.

A large line consisting of 100 Angus yearling heifers from Kingston, SA weighing 396kg lwt returned $1,800/head. Aged 15-16 months the heifers will travel interstate to a buyer in Camperdown, Victoria. From Meadow Creek, Victoria a line of Hereford heifers aged 20-22 months weighing 479kg lwt returned $1,800/head.

It was mixed messages through the breeding lines, with the PTIC heifer category making up the largest category, at 1,987 head. Given the 53% clearance rate for the PTIC heifer offering, prices ranged from $1,810 – $4,000/head, averaging $2,734/head. From Mulwala, NSW, a line of 23-24-month-old Hereford heifers PTIC to Banquet Angus bull “Realistic” returned $4,000/head. The heifers averaged 561kg lwt and will travel to a buyer in Orange, NSW. Another highlight from the category included a line of 17-23-month-old Angus Heifers from Chinchilla, Queensland, which weighed 500kg lwt and returned $3,000/head. PTIC to Wagyu bulls, the heifers will travel to a buyer in Condamine, Queensland.

It was thin numbers through the remaining breeding categories, with averages not reflective of the market. From Oberon, NSW, a line of 16 Angus NSM heifers aged 24-36 months with CAF aged 3-6 weeks returned $4,020/head. The Connamurra and Scotts Angus blood heifers weighed an average of 601kg, while the CAF averaged 70kg lwt – set to travel to Condobolin, NSW.

A line of 2-3-year-old Angus heifers from Coleraine, Victoria, which weighed 589kg lwt returned $2,200/head and will travel interstate to a buyer in Robe, SA.

From Moree, NSW, a line of 28 Angus/Hereford cows weighing 554kg lwt with CAF weighing 190kg lwt returned $3,550/head. The cows aged 3-4-years were joined to Booroomooka blood Angus Bulls and will travel to a buyer in Dubbo, NSW.

Note: Prices as at 2pm Friday, 13^th January 2022

Table 1: AuctionsPlus National Cattle Prices

Table 2: AuctionsPlus Angus Cattle Prices