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Thursday daily cattle summary

02 July 2015


Yardings at Dalby increased 4%, to 5,485 head, with the majority of cattle drawn from far western districts. Additional restockers joined the full panel of export and feeder buyers and prices trended dearer. Quality was generally good and young cattle were well supplied. Medium C2 yearling feeder steers jump 17¢, averaging 280¢, while the heavy lines were unchanged, at 277¢/kg. Light (200-280kg) C2 yearling heifers to restockers were a feature of the market, lifting 45¢ week-on-week, to average 265¢/kg. Medium C3 grown steers to feed on eased 5¢, averaging 242¢, while heavy D4 cows improved 12¢, averaging 228¢ and selling to a top of 239¢/kg.

With fewer young cattle offered, consignments to Casino declined 13%, to 1,463 head. Most vealers sold to a dearer trend while cows averaged firm to slightly dearer. Light (200-280kg) C2 vealer steers to restockers declined 13¢, averaging 264¢, while lines to the trade improved 8¢, averaging 240¢/kg. The same weight and condition vealer heifers to the trade improved 11¢, averaging 242¢ and selling to a top of 255¢/kg. Medium D2 cows to slaughter improved 1¢, averaging 175¢/kg.

Throughput at Warrnambool increased 30%, to 788 head. Quality was mostly plain to average but there were a few quality finished cattle offered. Young cattle and cows sold to a dearer trend while grown heifers and the better quality steers were mostly unchanged on last week. Heavy C3 yearling heifers to the trade improved 14¢, averaging 282¢ and selling to a top of 310¢/kg. Heavy C2 grown steers to slaughter improved 16¢, averaging 271¢, and heavy D2 dairy cows gained 12¢, averaging 209¢/kg.

At the close of Wednesday’s markets, the Eastern Young Cattle Indicator (EYCI) finished at 533.50¢, up 3.25¢/kg cwt on where it finished the previous day and the highest value on record. Trade steers eased 1¢, to 305¢, while feeder steers improved 8¢, to 302¢/kg lwt. Medium steers gained 6¢, to 283¢, while heavy steers eased 3¢, to close at 288¢/kg lwt. Medium cows averaged 210¢, up 3¢/kg lwt.

 

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

For the full list of cattle market reports, please click here.