Most influential cattle markets tendered fewer cattle over the past week as quality drops down a gear. Pakenham, Monday, was the only market to tender more cattle, but it was speculated that some producers were taking advantage of the ATO guidelines.
Quality improves at Pakenham, which was the opposite of all other markets.
While bidding was strong at Pakenham, prices did tend to ease. Some vendors were disappointed with their results, when measuring purchase price, and feeding costs. against the end price per head.
Only a few markets offer a reasonable analysis of trade cattle, with few quality vealers, steers and heifers up for grabs.
For instance, Wagga Wagga, Monday, recorded over 1000 yearling steers with only 20 purchased for slaughter. Wodonga, Tuesday, showed a similar trend, as did Shepparton.
Single sales of top quality vealers peaked at 387c/kg with most trade purchases ranging between 340 & 365c/kg lwt.
Similarly, grain-assisted yearling steers sold well, at Shepparton at least, equaling vealers from 345-365c/kg lwt. A general lack of rain across Victoria and the Riverina, has taken the shine off restocker competition. Most steers returning to the paddock sold from 340-385c with some young calves to 404c/kg lwt.
Prices here were back 2-15c/kg, as were some heifer prices, which were in a range of 280-340c/kg lwt.
Any producer following a sale could understand for being confused. Some sales of quality grass fattened heifers were around 310-330c/kg, while grain assisted steers sold for less cents per kilogram.
It would be fair to say that weight could have been a factor, but not in all cases. Talking of weight, three very heavy and fat bullocks, 997kgs average, sold for 265c/kg, a good dollar return if you wait two or three years.
Speaking of bullocks, Leongatha remains the pick of the bunch, and by a long way.
Last Wednesday, prime bullocks over 600kgs sold from 300-326c/kg, which was up to 20c/kg higher than any sales Monday or Tuesday this week.
The supply of cows was solid throughout the week, and with competition easing, prices were lower. However, there remains that difference between individual markets.
Top of the pack were isolated sales of European breed cows, selling to 278c/kg. However better quality beef cows sold from 245-265c at some sales, and some markets were quoting similar cows from 225-248c/kg lwt.
Better quality dairy cows peaked at 242c with most between 215 and 228c/kg. Lighter and poor quality cows sold mostly from 150-212c/kg lwt.
