THERE are some price differences of cattle between Western Australia and the southern states. However, this year the prices are quite close, but prices for young steers are a long way ahead.
At Muchea, Monday, prime grain assisted steers and heifers sold to a top of 357 cents per kilogram liveweight, but young steers regularly sold for over 420c/kg to restockers and feeders.
Very few grown steers and bullocks were sold, and prices were mostly from 285-310c/kg lwt. Cows sold very well for better quality beef cows, selling from 247-264c with a European breed cow making 309c/kg.
What stood out was the near 80 percent of the yarding being pastoral cattle. The younger ones were purchased for live export and many cows sold from 210-242c/kg. These prices were marginally better than cows sold Monday and Tuesday in southern markets this week.
Markets in Victoria and the peripheral markets of Wagga and South Australia continue to be dominated by the sell off of cows. However, having said this the number of cows offered was down on the previous week. This did spark some increased demand.
In isolated sales, high quality beef cows sold to 274c/kg lwt, and other better quality beef cows made mostly from 230-256c/kg lwt. These prices were quoted as firm to dearer by MLA’s market reporters, but their comments on lean cows showed them to have the larger price rises.
There were few poor quality cows that sold below 165c, and most sold from 185-225c/kg lwt with restockers increasing their competition. Price trends were mostly 5-15c/kg lwt dearer.
While most markets recorded similar size offerings, some cited mostly plain quality, but at Wodonga, Tuesday, an excellent and larger selection of grain assisted yearlings were penned.
Equalling the very god yarding here, was stronger trade competition, which saw the better quality steers and heifers selling to 347c/kg lwt. This top price was equalled by the best quality vealers at some markets.
Because it has rained over a large area of the very dry districts of all southern states, restocker competition has increased. Driven by very high prices at recent store sales, producers paid up to 370c/kg lwt for younger steers. Similar heifers sold to 360c/kg lwt.
Most of the steers, both vealers and yearlings, purchased by restockers and feedlots sold from 290-350c/kg, lifting the average by 10-15c/kg. Heifers purchased for feeding sold from 285-335c/kg lwt.
All of this interaction by restockers and feedlots forced trade buyers to up the anti. Heavy yearling, and grown steers sold mostly from 295-325c, but isolated sales were noted to 337c/kg at Wodonga.
The absence of many prime bullocks has lifted saleyard competition from the major processors. Prime bullocks sold to dearer trends with the better quality bullocks selling to 327c/kg lwt. Secondary and manufacturing bullocks were firm to dearer with not all processors operating fully. The general run of crossbred bullocks made from 265-285c/kg lwt.
