East coast weekly slaughter dipped marginally with 129,064 head reported last week, a drop of 2.5 per cent.
This year’s replication of the slaughter pattern set in 2005 has been extraordinary. It suggests that, if we continue to mirror this pattern, we may be near a spring peak in east coast slaughter near the 130,000-head region.
Throughput declined 8.5 per cent to 44,697 head, as most categories of national cattle prices across the country softened or remained fairly flat. National medium cows posted the biggest fall, down 4 per cent to 449¢/kg cwt. National heavy steers held up best, with a 1 per cent lift to 556¢/kg cwt.
The EYCI mirrored the fate of the broader market, down 1 per cent to close at 648.75¢.
Beef export prices slightly higher too, with the 90CL frozen cow indicator up 1.8 per cent to 573¢/kg CIF.