Cattle buzz in market again

This scenario has seen stronger competition at the coal-face and prices have risen across the board.

Producers can be happy with the results of the past seven days, which have put a little life back into the market.

Not only have physical markets been dearer but the first of the annual weaner sales have proved to be good too.

Two sales at Euroa and one at Yea were solid, with excellent yardings of cattle.

Feedlot competition was strong, demand for a live shipping order was also robust and producers showed plenty of confidence by purchasing heifers for restocking.

Competition has lifted at physical sales for steers and heifers for grain-feeding and returning to the paddock, partly due to the strong results from these weaner sales.

Although price trends have generally been higher, prices for female cattle have shown some of the larger increases.

Yearling heifers were quoted at 6-14 cents a kilogram liveweight dearer, and cows have risen within this range too.

I received a text message from the manager of the Baw Baw Livestock exchange last Wednesday to say bulls had been sold to 234c/kg, with one equalling more than $2600.

This was beaten on the same morning at Leongatha with a heavy bull reaching more than $3000.

Some of the continual and solid price increases have been for bulls as the market for lean 95CL grinding beef rates very highly.

Producers normally have a hard time selling bulls leading up to the Christmas break as processors don't want them on the works for that length of time.

Therefore, producers need to be aware prices could ease on the cusp of Christmas.

Showing the least pronounced price increase were vealers, with the best quality still selling to 220c/kg.

Only the Warragul market was dearer, with the best steer calves selling to 228c/kg lwt.

With strong competition for secondary steers and heifers to feed or paddock, prices for a lot of steers were 175-210c/kg, but at Wagga Wagga, NSW, last Monday, demand was strong for lightweight steers, which sold to 238c/kg lwt.

Yearling steers of any note sold at 185-205c/kg while prime grown steers sold to 196c/kg.

Bullocks took a rise, which saw the better-quality C-muscle ox selling to 192c/kg, but manufacturing steers and bullocks were quite a bit dearer.

Crossbreds sold at 165-178c/kg while Friesians made 145-162c/kg.

The Tuesday markets of Wodonga and Shepparton showed some resilience and were larger in number.

Northern competition increased, with a major Queensland processor present at Wodonga, and despite the larger supply these two markets were just as dear as others.

All cow markets were dearer, with the exception of Camperdown last Tuesday, which quoted many poor-condition dairy cows at lower rates.

However, some of this was due to poor quality.

A general run of better-quality beef cows sold at 142-165c/kg and most dairy cows made 110-142c/kg lwt.

A lot of good-quality cattle are flowing into the markets due to the very good season, and Meat & Livestock Australia's Eastern Young Cattle Indicator was noticeably higher week-on-week, improving by 15c/kg to 351c/kg.

This is a good improvement heading towards Christmas, which is usually a busy time of the year.