20 July 2012

9 minute read

Oceania

Victoria

Quality slipping

Supply at markets reported by MLA’s NLRS slipped 20% on last week after the larger numbers could not be sustained. Most centres offered smaller yardings with the greatest reduction realised at Wodonga, however this was still the largest market, with most of the fall being at the Tuesday sale. Ballarat, Colac and Warrnambool were the only centres to record slightly increased yardings.

As the cool winter conditions set in combined with some recent rain, quality has been slipping. This trend was evident across all markets as secondary lines were prevalent providing feeders and restockers with opportunities to make purchases. The good quality cattle suitable to both trade and export processors had mostly had been supplementary fed.

The regular field of buyers were present at most markets with prices generally mixed. Young cattle were mostly cheaper while the grown steers were firm to dearer and the cow prices were improved. Young cattle accounted for 35% of the states yarding as cows and to a lesser extent grown steers dominated.

The reduced numbers of vealer steers were 2¢ to 3¢/kg either side of last weeks prices as the heifers portion were up to 7¢/kg cheaper. Yearling steers and heifers were 2¢ to 10¢/kg cheaper with some lines suffering larger falls.

Heavy grown steers and bullocks were firm to 4¢/kg dearer as the plainer grown heifers also received gains. Medium weight dairy cows lifted up to 9¢/kg with the plainest lines most affected as the heavy dairy cows followed a similar trend. Beef cows across all weight ranges were mostly 5¢ to 7¢/kg dearer.

Mixed prices

The few vealer steers to the trade made to 247.6¢ with most sales form 202¢ to 227¢/kg. Vealer heifers to slaughter mostly sold from 198¢ top 216¢ with sales to 249.6¢/kg. Medium weight C3 yearling steers lost 9¢ to 200¢ as the heavy C3 and C4s mostly made from 198¢ to 203¢ which was up to 7¢/kg cheaper. Medium weight C3 yearling heifers fell 6¢ to average 190¢, while the heavy weights eased 3¢ to 189¢/kg.

Heavy C3 grown steers improved 4¢ to 197¢ after making to 208¢ as the C4s held firm at 195¢/kg. Bullocks were mostly firm with sales mostly from 184¢ to 194¢/kg. Most of the plain light and heavy grown heifers sold around the mid 160¢/kg range.

The D1 medium weight dairy cows improved 5¢ to average 121¢, as the plainer E muscles mostly made from 112¢ to 126¢/kg. Heavy dairy cows reached 155¢ as most sales were from 130¢ to 144¢/kg. Medium weight D2 beef cows sold around 132¢ with the D3s closer to 143¢/kg. The heavy D3 and D4 cows made from 147¢ to 155¢ with sales to 167.2¢/kg. Across all markets cows averaged 293¢/kg cwt.

New South Wales

Similar numbers

After the slight surge in yardings for the first week or so of the new financial year, there were smaller yardings at the SALE and Naracoorte. Mt. Gambier’s numbers rose slightly, Millicent had only 150 head for its fortnightly sale.

The SA LE’s varying quality runs of mainly young cattle met with fluctuating competition from the usual local and interstate trade buyers. Feeder orders were active on the lightweight vealer and yearling steers, together with a small number of yearling heifers. The vealer steers sold mainly to feeder activity, with only limited trade purchases of vealer steers and heifers. Feeders sourced light and medium weight C2 steers, with the heavy C3 steers finishing with the trade. The C3 yearling heifers were cheaper on the few purchased by the trade. Apart from isolated sales of cows that were dearer, the rest were cheaper.

Naracoorte’s mixed quality yarding contained some excellent quality supplementary fed yearlings, grown steers and cows that all attracted very strong trade and export competition. There was a Victorian order back again after a long break. Feeder and restocker orders were also active. The beef cows sold at dearer levels, with many sales rising above 300¢/kg cwt.

Mt. Gambier’s mixed quality runs of young cattle sold at fluctuating prices, with grown steer quality slipping and the beef and dairy cow yarding attracting strong competition up to 166¢/kg, as isolated sales rose to 320¢/kg cwt despite the improving A$.

Millicent’s small yarding containing young cattle and cows sold to a few of the regular SA and Victorian trade and export buyers.

Fluctuating trends

The varying quality and smaller numbers yarded have only led to fluctuating trends. Vealer steers in small numbers to the trade and local butcher inquiry sold from 200¢ to 230¢ at prices unchanged to 3¢/kg dearer. Feeders sourced the majority of lightweight C2 steers from 185¢ to 209¢/kg at basically unchanged prices. Vealer heifers in limited numbers to the trade sold between 198¢ and 220¢, with lightweights 14¢ dearer and the medium weights 3¢/kg less. Feeders purchased C1 and C2 mainly lightweight heifers from 170¢ to 200¢/kg. Yearling steers C3 and B2 medium and heavyweights were between 176¢ and 221¢ to be 2¢ to 3¢/kg more. Feeders sourced large numbers of C1 and C2 steers from 160¢ to 208¢ or 12¢ to 25¢/kg dearer. Yearling heifer C3 sales ranged from 160¢ to 202¢/kg, and were basically unchanged.

Grown steers across a number of categories made from 165¢ to 204¢, with the B muscled 7¢ cheaper and the balance averaging 7¢/kg dearer at around 350¢/kg cwt. The medium and heavy beef cows sold mainly from 115¢ to 166¢ at prices unchanged to 6¢/kg dearer, or mainly in a 280¢ to 320¢/kg cwt range.

Queensland

Large fall in supply

The return to wet weather across a large portion of the state continues to disrupted supply. The rain was only light with recordings of around 10 to 20mm fairly common. However this compounded the effect of recent heavier falls and restricted cattle movement, resulting in a 59% reduction in supply at physical markets covered by MLA’s NLRS. Roma prime witnessed 30% lees throughput in a sale dominated by stock from the channel country and Alice Springs, with only a handful of local cattle penned.

Overall quality continues to be mixed and apart from a few pens of good vealers in places, the remainder of the young cattle were showing the effects of winter. There was a consignment of heavy steers and bullocks from central Australia which helped maintain a good standard at the Roma prime sale. Buyer representation at most markets was generally good with a full panel of export processors feeder operators and restockers in attendance and operating.

Prices for young cattle remained strong and poorer quality lines improved in price as feeders and restocker operators together with trade buyers battling to secure numbers turned to a lower standard to fill orders.

Heavy steers and bullocks to export slaughter early in the week experienced very little change in price, however by mid and late week markets as supply became scarce values improved 10¢ to14¢/kg. The short supply of cows also experienced a lift in price as the week progressed however improvements were confined to around 5¢ to 6¢/kg.

Export classes dearer

A fair sample of vealer steers returned to the paddock at 217¢ with a few pens to 242¢/kg. Vealer heifers to the trade averaged 199¢ with a few sales into the mid-220¢/kg range. Lightweight yearling steers returning to the paddock and feed mostly sold close to 213¢ with sales to 229.2¢/kg. Medium weight feeders averaged 210¢ and heavyweights in the mid- to high 190¢ range with sales to 215.2¢/kg. A fair sample of heavyweights to the trade averaged 4¢ dearer at 196¢ and sold to 221.2¢/kg. Lightweight yearling heifers to the trade remained unchanged in price at 195¢ and sold to 210.2¢/kg. Medium weights to feed improved 4¢ to average 189¢ and sold to 215.2¢/kg.

Heavy steers to export slaughter across all markets averaged 5¢ better at 188¢ and sold to 196.2¢, while the bullock portion lifted 8¢ to average 187¢/kg. Medium weight 2 score cows averaged 5¢ dearer at 123¢, and 3 scores were in the largest numbers and averaged 2¢ better at 136¢ with sales to 148.2¢/kg. Heavy 3 scores averaged 138¢, while the better 4 score classes generally sold close to 150¢ with a few pens to 162.2¢/kg.

South Australia

Similar numbers

After the slight surge in yardings for the first week or so of the new financial year, there were smaller yardings at the SALE and Naracoorte. Mt. Gambier’s numbers rose slightly, Millicent had only 150 head for its fortnightly sale.

The SA LE’s varying quality runs of mainly young cattle met with fluctuating competition from the usual local and interstate trade buyers. Feeder orders were active on the lightweight vealer and yearling steers, together with a small number of yearling heifers. The vealer steers sold mainly to feeder activity, with only limited trade purchases of vealer steers and heifers. Feeders sourced light and medium weight C2 steers, with the heavy C3 steers finishing with the trade. The C3 yearling heifers were cheaper on the few purchased by the trade. Apart from isolated sales of cows that were dearer, the rest were cheaper.

Naracoorte’s mixed quality yarding contained some excellent quality supplementary fed yearlings, grown steers and cows that all attracted very strong trade and export competition. There was a Victorian order back again after a long break. Feeder and restocker orders were also active. The beef cows sold at dearer levels, with many sales rising above 300¢/kg cwt.

Mt. Gambier’s mixed quality runs of young cattle sold at fluctuating prices, with grown steer quality slipping and the beef and dairy cow yarding attracting strong competition up to 166¢/kg, as isolated sales rose to 320¢/kg cwt despite the improving A$.

Millicent’s small yarding containing young cattle and cows sold to a few of the regular SA and Victorian trade and export buyers.

Fluctuating trends

The varying quality and smaller numbers yarded have only led to fluctuating trends. Vealer steers in small numbers to the trade and local butcher inquiry sold from 200¢ to 230¢ at prices unchanged to 3¢/kg dearer. Feeders sourced the majority of lightweight C2 steers from 185¢ to 209¢/kg at basically unchanged prices. Vealer heifers in limited numbers to the trade sold between 198¢ and 220¢, with lightweights 14¢ dearer and the medium weights 3¢/kg less. Feeders purchased C1 and C2 mainly lightweight heifers from 170¢ to 200¢/kg. Yearling steers C3 and B2 medium and heavyweights were between 176¢ and 221¢ to be 2¢ to 3¢/kg more. Feeders sourced large numbers of C1 and C2 steers from 160¢ to 208¢ or 12¢ to 25¢/kg dearer. Yearling heifer C3 sales ranged from 160¢ to 202¢/kg, and were basically unchanged.

Grown steers across a number of categories made from 165¢ to 204¢, with the B muscled 7¢ cheaper and the balance averaging 7¢/kg dearer at around 350¢/kg cwt. The medium and heavy beef cows sold mainly from 115¢ to 166¢ at prices unchanged to 6¢/kg dearer, or mainly in a 280¢ to 320¢/kg cwt range.

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