16 April 2010

2 minute read

Oceania

Western Australia weekly cattle summary

Midland supply well up

Total yardings increased almost two-fold at MLA’s NLRS reported markets with a return to a full trading week. All of the jump in supply can be attributed to Midland on Monday were an extra 1,600 head were yarded.

Some of the heaviest falls of rain since last winter were recorded on the coastal fringe south of Perth. The districts surrounding Busselton and Bunbury received up to 50mm which will assist the sowing of winter crops.

The opening date of the new Muchea saleyards was announced during the week with the 3rd May set to hold the first sale. Tuesday the 27th April will mark the last sale at Midland. The new $54.5 million saleyard will be able to accommodate 3,400 cattle and 28,000 sheep all housed in state of the art facilities in terms of occupational health and safety and environmental considerations.

Heavyweight trade cattle were in good supply at Midland with a very large penning of supplementary fed yearlings strongly contested by processor buyers. Store yearling steers were in limited supply which consequently resulted in spirited bidding and rates remained equal. Rates for heavyweight and lighter conditioned cows improved with high demand from trade buyers.

At the Great Southern sale the yarding remained similar although there was an increased penning of heavyweight cows and fewer supplies of yearlings. Feeders and local restockers were particularly active on the yearling lots with steers selling to 189¢/kg. Grown steers and heifers for slaughter were very limited and remain strong. Cows supply improved and rates eased accordingly.

Young cattle prices dearer

Vealer steers to restockers showed a dearer trend to mostly sell from 185¢ to 189¢/kg. D2 vealer heifers also going back to the paddock were stronger by up to 20¢ to make form 150¢ to 174¢/kg. Restockers and feeders accounted for the majority of yearling steer purchases. Lightweight C1 steers gained 5¢ to sell from 181 to 189¢/kg. D2 steers were up to 9¢ dearer to make between 120¢ and 185¢ at an average of 172¢/kg. There were a few pens of grainfed heavyweight yearlings offered with the best quality lots making 202¢/kg. Yearling heifers were mostly cheaper experiencing a fall of 7¢/kg.

Grown steers were in short supply, medium weights to slaughter sold from 180¢ to 190¢/kg. Some grain assisted heavyweights sold around 183¢ to top at 193¢/kg. The cow market was generally firm to slightly cheaper. Lightweight pastoral cows averaged around 80¢/kg. Medium weight D2 cows were slightly cheaper selling from 90¢ to 129¢ to mainly sell around 114¢/kg. Heavyweight D3 averaged around 131¢ to remain firm while the D4 offering made a similar average to realise a fall of 3¢/kg.

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