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Tasmania market summary
30 July 2015
Cattle
There was a much smaller yarding of trade and export cattle at Powranna and Killafaddy on Tuesday with 70% being cows. All prices improved and the few good quality yearlings averaged 20¢/kg higher.
Yearling steers made from 238¢ to 294¢ and the heifers returned 220¢ to 288¢, while a few plain quality yearlings made 208¢ to 214¢/kg.
There were very few grown steers and bullocks. There were 147 cows yarded and most averages were 30¢ to 40¢/kg higher to see the highest prices on record at these saleyards. Medium weight D1 cows made 166¢ to 222¢ and D2 pens sold from 220¢ to 259¢ while heavy D1 cows made 180¢ to 220¢/kg. Heavy beef cows made 224¢ to 245¢ and averaged 242.8¢, with a few over-conditioned cows making 220¢ to 230¢/kg.
Sheep
There were a few more lambs penned at Powranna and Killafaddy on Tuesday but mutton numbers almost halved. Top quality trade and heavy lambs improved $2 to $6/head while restockers and wholesalers competed for light and lighter trade lambs.
Restockers paid $83 to $115 while the trade paid $96 to $118 for light trade pens and $117 to $147/head for trade weights. Heavy lambs made $128 to $153 and extra heavy returned $143 to $157/head.
The quality of mutton was mixed and prices were mainly similar although heavy ewes met weaker demand. Light sheep made $57 to $71, medium weights sold from $67 to $82 and heavy sheep returned $69 to $80/head.
