Steady supply
Supply at markets reported this week by MLA’s NLRS increased, albeit only 1%, with just under 44% contributed from Leongatha and Wodonga.
Young cattle only accounted for 34% with the vealer portion almost non existent which is to be expected for this time of year.
Fair numbers of yearlings were penned with steers in the greatest supply. Cows were again offered in the largest numbers with grown steers also available in fair supply.
The declining seasonal conditions have again been highlighted in the mixed quality cattle that were offered.
There were good quality lines that were under solid demand from processors.
A dearer trend was evident across almost all categories. Vealers were mainly 4¢ to 8¢/kg dearer with the yearlings firm to 5¢/kg dearer.
The grown steers climbed 3¢ to 6¢/kg, as cows gained 3¢ to 9¢/kg.
Cattle throughput at the nine weekly markets reported by MLA’s NLRS for the 2011-12 fiscal year was down just 1% when compared to the previous 2010-11 fiscal year.
Five markets reported greater numbers, while the remaining 4 had fewer throughput.
The largest market, accounting for 22% of the states total was Wodonga, while Pakenham and Shepparton each offered around 16% of the numbers.
The smallest prime market reported was Ballarat which represented just 3%.
Young cattle accounted for 37% of the total throughput with the yearlings accounted for just over 60%.
Cows represented 47% of the grown cattle as the dairy portion representing 43% of the total cows offered.
Grown steers accounted 32% of the states yarded.
A dearer trend
Most of the C medium and heavy vealer steers ranged from 203¢ to 221¢ as the heavy B muscles topped at 246.6¢ with most around 195¢/kg with most going to the trade.
The rather small number of vealer heifers sold to 247¢ with the C muscle medium and heavy weights selling closer to 195¢/kg.
Over half of the yearling steers were heavy weights that were purchased by the trade from 201¢ to 203¢ after reaching 230¢/kg.
Medium C muscle yearling heifers to the trade averaged 191¢ with the plainer lines ranging from 173¢ to 184¢/kg.
The few heavy C muscle heifers ranged from 190¢ to 197¢, as the D muscle lines averaged 169¢/kg.
Good heavy steers ranged from 190¢ to 195¢ with sales to a top of 203.2¢/kg.
The bullocks and heavy bullocks range generally made from 173¢ to 190¢/kg.
The light end of the dairy cows averaged 91¢, as the medium weights ranged from 100¢ to 113¢ which was 10¢ to 14¢/kg dearer.
The heavy dairy cows were 7¢ dearer with most sales from 118¢ to 130¢/kg or 270¢ to 290¢/kg cwt.
Medium weight beef cows ranged from 129¢ to 134¢ after making to a top of 144.6¢/kg. Good heavy cows sold mostly from 138¢ to 146¢ with sales to 155¢/kg.
The heavy cows averaged close to 290¢/kg cwt.
Source: MLA.com
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