After an extremely quiet August, numbers through AuctionsPlus commercial cattle sales roared back to life this week, with the 9,692 head offered up 83% on last week.
Also roaring back to life this week was buyer sentiment, with an impressively high average final sale price of $309/head over reserve, as online bidding activity bellowed “here comes spring, get me some cattle”.
Underpinned by another amazing week of bull sale results, producer confidence for the remainder of 2022 seems to be rising with the day-time temperatures. As wet conditions continue to hinder intended operations in some regions, and with another La Nina outlook on the horizon, the old adage of “there’s money in mud” is proving out. Removing the price volatility of recent weeks, primarily due to the very thin numbers, it was an overall stronger market this week, especially through the heavier end of the young cattle market.
200-280kg steers averaged $116 lower this week, shedding all of last weeks gains, averaging $1,584/head with the 1,075 head offered selling to a 90% clearance rate. It was a similar path for the 280-330kg lines, easing $119/head, following last weeks $206 jump, to average $1,878/head. The 1,102 head offered sold to an 88% clearance rate, with prices ranging from $1,440-$2,230/head.
Table 1: AuctionsPlus National Weekly Cattle Prices
Table 2: AuctionsPlus Queensland Weekly Cattle Prices
Table 3: AuctionsPlus Angus Weekly Cattle Prices
The largest category for the week was 330-400kg steers, with the 1,488 offered selling to a robust 90% clearance rate. With fierce competition, average prices for the week jumped $73, to $2,202/head. From Woodhouse, Southwest Victoria, a line of 10-11-month-old Charolais/Angus steers weighing 377kg lwt returned $2,270/head, and will travel to a buyer in Burra, South Australia. Another highlight for the category included 168 head of Angus steers split across three even lines from Gilgandra, NSW, which averaged 333kg lwt and returned $2,280/head. The 14-18-month-old steers will travel 1,200km to a buyer in Mount Gambier, South Australia.
Feeder steers sold to strong competition, with the 807 head offered averaging $36 higher on last week, at $2,392/head – with an 85% clearance rate. From Cumnock in Central Western NSW, a line of 73 Angus steers aged 14-16-months weighing 452kg lwt, returned $2,652/head, and will travel to Southern Queensland.
Across the young heifer market, it was three-up-two-down for the five categories, with the most significant rises through the 330-400kg and 400kg+ lines. With a 90% clearance rate for the 918 head offered, 200-280kg heifers kicked $275 higher on last week, to average $1,633/head, as quality returned to the market after some very thin offerings in recent weeks. From Bollon, Queensland, a line of 6-10-month-old Angus heifers weighing 276kg lwt returned $1,920/head and will travel to a buyer in Rockhampton, Queensland.
In contrast, 280-330kg heifers averaged $316 cheaper this week, at $1,952/head, as the market continues to find some equilibrium after last week $562 increase. For the 764 head offered, the clearance rate reached 99%. A line of Droughtmaster heifers aged 8-12-months from Wallumbilla North, Southern Queensland, averaging 291kg lwt returned $2,210/head – headed to Springsure in Central Queensland.
330-400kg heifers averaged $143 higher this week, at $2,204/head, with a very healthy 94% clearance rate for the 551 head offered. From Goulburn, NSW, a line of 58 Angus heifers aged 12-13-months weighing 346kg lwt returned $2,630/head – selling for $400 above their reserve price.
In what remains a very tight market for proven breeders, online bidder activity was strong for quality and proven bloodlines. A rising number of PTIC heifers sold to a steady market, with the 1,426 head offered selling to a 74% clearance rate – averaging $2,468/head.
PTIC cows averaged $146 higher on last week, to average $2,600/head, with the very tight 502 head offered selling to a 65% clearance rate. In the Tasmanian cattle sale a line of 20 six-year-old Simmental/Poll Hereford cows from Bagdad, Southern Tasmania, returned $2,360/head. These girls are set for a boat trip, headed for Mount Compass, South Australia.
From Cooladdi, Western Queensland, a line of 3-7-year-old SM Brangus cows weighing 458kg lwt with CAF returned $3,120/head, heading to a buyer in Longreach, Queensland.
From Strathdownie, Victoria, a line of 26-28-month-old NSM Angus heifers weighing 425kg lwt with CAF returned $4,480/head - $950 above their reserve price
NOTE: Prices as at 2pm, Friday 26th August 2022