Thursday daily cattle summary

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Supply at Dalby remained close to firm week-on-week, at 5,344 head, although there were less cattle from far western districts included in the offering. Calves returning to the paddock made to 302¢ and averaged 255¢, while those to slaughter averaged 233¢/kg. Young light weight yearling steers to restock struggled to remain firm, as most averaged 280¢/kg, and the light heifers lost some ground in price. Medium and heavy weight yearling steers continued to sell at dearer rates, up 10¢ to 17¢, with a large sample of C2’s purchased by feeders returning 291¢ on average, while those to backgrounders sold around 282¢/kg. Light yearling heifers averaged 6¢ to 24¢ less, with most in the 240¢ range, while medium weights to feed averaged 255¢/kg. Good heavy cows made to 250¢, with a fair sample averaging 240¢/kg.

Numbers at Casino eased slightly, to 1,185 head, with the main reduction being in the vealer section. The young cattle were mainly light and medium weight vealers, with a few light yearlings also included, and quality was generally mixed, despite some good pens of milk veal being offered. Vealer steers were firm to a few cents easier, with the light weights to restockers mostly averaging 276¢, while medium weights averaged from 266¢ to 287¢/kg. Light vealer heifers sold to a similar trend, with the light weights returning to the paddock generally selling in the 220¢ range, while medium weights to slaughter averaged 238¢/kg. The cow market was significantly dearer, with price rises of 30¢ to 40¢ common, and the medium weight D2 cows to process averaged 469¢, while the heavier D3’s sold in the 490¢/kg range.

Consignments were back 16% at Warrnambool this week, with 644 head penned, and not all the regular buyers were operating on the mixed quality offering. Prices were firm overall, however the lighter conditioned cows did average 5¢ better and some pens of young cattle gained up to 10¢/kg. The majority of C2 and C3 young cattle ranged from 245¢ to 290¢, with odd sales to processors topping at 300¢/kg. Heavy C3 grown steers and bullocks eased 10¢, ranging from 270¢ to 287¢/kg. A fair sample of plain medium dairy cows were firm on 151¢, while the heavy weights were a few cents dearer for both the beef and dairy bred types, averaging from 190¢ to 219¢/kg.  

At the conclusion of Wednesday’s markets the Eastern Young Cattle Indicator (EYCI) was 0.25¢ higher on 535.25¢/kg cwt. Trade steers eased 4¢, to 307¢, while medium steers were slipped 9¢, on 279¢/kg lwt. Heavy steers were up around 2¢, to 277¢, while medium cows also lifted 2¢, to 213¢/kg cwt. The feeder steer indicator gained 1¢ to settle on 302¢/kg lwt.

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