Friday daily cattle summary

Numbers at Roma Prime sale more than halved to 409 head. Cows made up the largest percentage of the yarding, along with an odd bullock, a few pens of heifers, and several pens of bulls. Quality was good in a cheaper market, with not all the regular buyers operating this week.

• • Light C3 grown heifers to slaughter sold between 269¢ and 280¢ and averaged 273¢, while those to feed reached averaged 270¢/kg
  • Medium weight D3 cows to processors eased 21¢ to 237¢ while heavy weight D4’s were back 34¢, averaging 247¢/kg

The yarding at Bairnsdale increased marginally to 537 head. The mixed quality yarding consisted of fewer cows, a greater supply of secondary types in the grown cattle and very few vealers suited to butchers.

• • Medium weight C3 grown steers to processors eased 23¢, averaging 340¢/kg
  • Heavy D3 grown heifers to slaughter averaged 330¢, up 28¢/kg
  • Processors purchased D1 dairy cows for an average of 204¢, back 13¢ while D2 beef breed cows averaged 263¢, back 4¢/kg

Consignments to Dubbo lifted 7% to 5,282 head. Yearlings made up the majority of the offering, along with a handy penning of cows in a yarding that had more weight offered than the previous sale. The usual buyers were present and competing in a mostly cheaper market, partially due to the mixed quality.

• • Medium weight C2 yearling steers to feed were 3¢ dearer, averaging 394¢ while heavy C3’s to slaughter were 29¢ cheaper on 354¢/kg
  • Processors purchased medium weight C3 yearling heifer for an average of 361¢, back 26¢ while heavy weights were 26¢ cheaper on 344¢/kg
  • D4 heavy weight cows to slaughter were 2¢ dearer, averaging 279¢/kg

At the close of Thursday’s markets:         

• • The Eastern Young Cattle Indicator (EYCI) dropped 5.75¢ from its record level, to 720¢/kg cwt
  • Trade steers eased 4¢ to 370¢/kg lwt
  • Medium steers were up 3¢, on 344¢/kg lwt
  • Heavy steers jumped 2¢ to 343¢/kg lwt
  • Medium cows averaged 249¢, back 3¢/kg lwt
  • Feeder steers slipped 2¢, to 386¢/kg lwt

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

Note: All yardings and prices referenced are from MLA reported saleyards