After four consecutive weeks above 20,000 head, cattle offerings through AuctionsPlus commercial sales declined 12% this week, to 18,628 head. While comparatively lower on previous weeks, it’s still a high online listing volume for this late in the year, as producers continue to test a market which has taken its foot off the accelerator. With a 52% clearance rate, light heifers showed some resilience, while the steer portion of the market continued to weaken, with the average value over reserve hitting $89/head – compared to the highs of $243/head only five weeks earlier.
Table 1: AuctionsPlus National Weekly Cattle Prices
Table 2: AuctionsPlus Queensland Weekly Cattle Prices
Table 3: AuctionsPlus Angus Weekly Cattle Prices
While the recent decline in the cattle market has corresponded with a run of dry conditions, it’s far more indicative of a market with motivated sellers and very watchful buyers. To put the flow of cattle into some perspective, the past five weeks of AuctionsPlus’ Friday commercial sales has offered a total of 109,733 head – which is greater than the 2021-22 financial year offering at Wagga (107,274 head) or CTLX (102,770 head) (MLA Saleyard Survey 2021-22). An EYCI hovering around 870c/kg cwt and early season reports of weaner sales 15-20% below expectations signal the path ahead into summer – producers with plenty of feed, but also significantly lowered willingness to payout for light cattle with already more mouths in the paddocks.
Light steers averaged lower across four of the five categories this week, with only 200-280kg steers resisting the lower trend, averaging $175 higher, at $1,594/head. A highlight from the Tasmanian sale included a line of 20 Angus steers from Powranna, aged 8-9 months and weighing 267kg lwt, which returned $1,940/head.
The largest steer category for the week was 280-330kg steers, with 2,055 head offered. Prices averaged $219 lower on last week, to average $1,598/head – with a very subdued 39% clearance rate at the immediate close of the auction. From Southbrook, Queensland, a line of Angus steers aged 11-13-months weighing 294kg lwt returned $1,850/head and will travel interstate to a buyer in Victoria.
330-400kg steers only slipped $21 lower this week, to average $1,821/head, with the 1,827 head reaching a 53% clearanace rate. From Prospect, Central Queensland, a line of 112 Backgrounder Santa Gertrudis steers aged 12-15 months, weighing 359kg lwt returned $1,890/head. Another highlight included a line of 40 15-16-month-old Angus steers from Tumut, NSW weighing 354kg lwt which returned $2,080/head.
The feeder steer clearance rate hit 65% for the week, with the 1,424 head offered averaging $2,089/head – down $7 on last week. A total of 225 Angus feeder steers from Waverly, NSW, split across three lines returned $2,100/head. The steers weighed between 421-443kg lwt on average and were aged 13-15 months old.
Light heifer prices managed to kick higher this week, with the 200-280kg and 280-330kg lines averaging $183 and $270/head dearer, respectively. For the 200-280kg portion of the market, the 1,637 head offered sold to a 59% clearance rate, compared to last week’s 62% for 1,285 head. A line consisting of 66 Angus heifers from Delungra, NSW, weighing 273kg lwt returned $1,810/head and will travel to Texas, Queensland. 280-330kg heifers averaged $1,887/head, with a line of 107 Angus heifers aged 8-10 months weighing 288kg lwt from Condamine, Queensland, returning $1,850/head.
330-400kg heifers averaged $184 lower this week, at $1,786/head, with a line of 32 12-15-month old Angus heifers from Tara, Queensland weighing 342kg lwt returning $2,100/head.
Interestingly, it was a slightly dearer breeder market this week, with the 2,852 head of PTIC heifers averaging $2,784/head – up $65 on last week. While clearance levels remained at 50% for the week, plenty of post-auction activity is expected again if recent weeks are any indication. From Wallabadah, NSW, three lines of Angus PTIC heifers totalling 150 head returned $2,800/head. The heifers were aged between 19-26 months and averaged 451kg lwt. From Hahndorf, SA a line of 21-22-month-old PTIC heifers weighing 531kg lwt returned $3,400/head and will travel to a buyer in Senior, SA.
A steady offering of 1,117 PTIC cows were shrewdly reviewed, registering a 34% clearance rate, with the average for the week lifting $16, to $2,762/head. From Thornton, Victoria, a line of five-year-old Angus PTIC cows weighing 604kg lwt joined to a registered Kelly Angus Bull returned $3,175/head and will travel to Woodstock, NSW. From Texas, NSW, a line of 30-34-month-old PTIC Santa Gertrudis/Hereford cows weighing 606kg lwt returned $2,160/head and will travel to Walcha, NSW.
From Moura, Central Queensland a line of 22 NSM Santa Gertrudis cows and 23 calves returned $3,020/head. The cows aged 3-7 years averaged 520kg lwt, while the CAF aged 1-5 months averaged 154kg lwt.
Note: Prices as at 2pm Friday, 9th December, 2022
Table 1: AuctionsPlus National Cattle Prices
Table 2: AuctionsPlus Queensland Cattle Prices
Table 3: AuctionsPlus Angus Cattle Prices