Wodonga dominates
There was only a slight increase of 8% in the number of cattle offered at MLA’s NLRS reported markets.
Wodonga continued to be the single largest market and represented almost 31% of the states throughput.
Most markets recorded a moderate rise in supply with Camperdown, Colac and Leongatha the only centres to record a decline in their numbers. Compared to the corresponding period last year supply was down 22%.
Cattle slaughter for week ending the 19th October increased 5%, to just under 20,000 head. This was the largest state kill since mid May 2012.
A similar number of cattle were processed in the same week last year. On a financial year to date basis, this year’s total of around 284,000 head is tracking almost 5% higher than this time last year.
Mixed quality
As is the trend across most areas nationally, quality was mixed as the changing weather conditions impact on pastures and crops. Surprisingly some over conditioned lots were available, along with the plainer lines, which suffered the greatest price reductions.
There were only small numbers of vealer cattle offered with yearling numbers also limited.
Overall young cattle accounted for only 32% of the states throughput. Almost half of the grown cattle were cows, while grown steers were also in fair supply.
Cheaper trend
Despite being hard to source, there were some good quality B muscle vealers that made over 230¢/kg.
Due to the varied quality available, C3 medium weight steers in small numbers were slightly dearer at around 194¢, as the heavy C3 yearling steers to slaughter slipped 5¢ to average 189¢/kg.
The medium weight C3 yearling heifers were 3¢ cheaper while the plainer D muscle lines lost 13¢/kg.
It was a similar trend for the heavy yearling heifers with the C scores easing 4¢ while the D muscle lines were 9¢/kg cheaper.
Most of the heavy steers were 1¢ to 5¢ cheaper after generally ranging from 181¢ to 189¢ with sales to 205¢/kg. Bullocks mostly made from 178¢ to 181¢ to be up to 6¢/kg cheaper.
Medium weight D2 and D3 beef cows held fully firm in making from 125¢ to 135¢/kg. The D2 dairy medium weights eased 4¢ to 112¢/kg. Heavy D4 beef cows lost 3¢ to average 140¢ as the dairy lines ranged from 115¢ to 131¢/kg.
Source: Argentine Beef Packers S.A.
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