QLD weekly cattle summary

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Quality slips as cold conditions take hold

The continuing improvement in prices for young cattle combined with cold, dry conditions across the vast majority of the state maintained large numbers of stock at NLRS reported saleyards in Queensland.

The overall quality of the young cattle in the east of the state was generally good, however there was a wide variation in the standard at selling centres in the central west of the state. The supply of heavy grown steers and bullocks remained scarce and there was a wide variation in the large number of cows penned. Export buyer attendance was generally good and all the usual feeder operators were in attendance and active. The stronger restocker representation at Dalby was from a wide area of the state as well is interstate.

Restockers active on younger cattle

With winter cereal crops in most parts of the very southern portion of the state as well as northern NSW starting to reach maturity, restockers were very active on all classes of young cattle, and pushed prices to a higher level.

Calves averaged 6¢ dearer at 285¢ with sales to 338.2¢ /kg.

This trend also flowed onto the vealer steers with a fair sample 10¢ dearer at 310¢ with a few pens to 336.2¢/kg.

Vealer heifers also came under increased buying pressure from processors to average 10¢ better at 262¢, with the occasional sale to local butchers at 290¢/kg.

A fairly large sample of light weight yearling steers returning to the paddock made to 336¢, and consistently sold around 309¢/kg. Restockers with ample oats to feed were in direct competition with feeder operators on the medium and heavy weight yearling steers, resulting in prices improving a further 6¢ to 8¢/kg. Medium weights mostly sold from 289¢ to 294¢ with some to 321.2¢, while a fair sample of heavyweights averaged 289¢ to 306¢/kg.

The largest numbers of light weight yearling heifers sold to restockers in the high 250¢ range with occasional sales to 318.2¢/kg.

Heavy grown steers and bullocks regained the previous week’s losses to average 6¢ to 8¢/kg dearer. Heavy grown steers made to 298.2¢ to average 284.4¢, and the bullock portion made to 290¢, to average close to 280¢/kg.

Cows experienced a mixed trend with medium weight 2 score cows regaining the losses experienced the previous week to average 10¢ dearer at 200¢/kg. However good heavy cows struggled to maintain a firm trend with most around 240¢ with sales to 258.2¢/kg.

Note: All yardings and prices referenced from MLA’s National Livestock Reporting Service (NLRS) reported saleyards.