The drought has recently been declared the most catastrophic in history, not only have properties run out of stock water but some towns in NSW are predicted to run out of water as early as next year if it does not rain.
Needless to say it was another week of high numbers at saleyards in northern areas and small winter yardings in southern Victoria.
Prices continue to ease generally for store cattle and have softened 5-10 cents a kilogram for finished lines suiting the domestic processors this week in Victoria.
The Eastern Young Cattle Indicator has eased further, sitting at 475c/kg on Tuesday.
With devastating conditions continuing in the northern regions of Australia, Victoria still attracts the highest prices across young cattle categories.
Southern lotfeeders are at the highest in the country with medium feed steers at a 10c/kg premium to shortfed steers sitting at 343c/kg, a two-year high.
Cheaper feed in the south has allowed lotfeeders to offset some of the rise in feeder cattle prices.
New and old season grain values are now similar and it is unlikely that southern grain will fall under $300 a tonne this season.
Grainfed cattle hit a new record at the end of August sitting at 598c/kg cwt, only 2c/kg higher than spring 2016, however, there are 45 per cent more cattle on feed.
The usual influx of spring cattle is slow to arrive in the western district, Gippsland and central Victorian markets due to the long wet winter continuing into spring.
Numbers of finished lines coming off grass in the south are expected to increase as warmer weather arrives.
Leongatha reported a softer market and quality lacking across the trade run with the best prices being for heifers over 400 kilograms making 314c/kg, easing 4c/kg.
Southern agents are recommending clients hold off selling to take advantage of the season.
Northern parts of the state are seeing more finished cattle such as Wodonga, with an increase in milk vealers and trade quality week-on-week.
Veal sold firm to 6c/kg stronger, reaching 342c/kg, however, trade eased up to 9c/kg with over 400kg steers selling between 305-347c/kg.
Wagga Wagga, NSW, had numbers ease after weeks and weeks of high yardings flooded by store-type cattle.
The yarding quality increased and saw some well-finished trade cattle coming through, although, prices again weakened up to 6c/kg for steers making between 290-332c/kg.