Most young cattle categories lost ground again in AuctionsPlus online trading in Australia on Friday, with seven of the ten weight categories cheaper in cents-per-kilogram terms and heifers hit hardest. Listings rose 6 per cent on the week to 18,616 head, but clearance fell sharply to 54 per cent, 34 percentage points below the previous week.

Heifers again outnumbered steers among the young cattle on offer, just over 7,900 against 7,270, even though the steer side included an unusually large run of 1,900 heavy feeder steers over 400 kg. Those heavy steers lost 2c/kg to average 555c, in a range of 482c to 600c. Steers of 330–400 kg went against the trend, adding 17c to average 566c but clearing only 64 per cent of the 1,711 offered; medium steers of 280–330 kg lost 19c to average 546c on the same 64 per cent clearance.

Steer highlights included 75 Angus and Angus x Hereford steers of 12–13 months averaging 272 kg from Walcha, New South Wales, at 615c/kg, bound for a buyer near Ebor, and 98 Angus backgrounder steers of 263 kg from Armidale at 618c/kg. The largest line, 222 Angus and Angus x Santa yearling steers from Winton in western Queensland, bred in the Bingara–Barraba district and moved north to agistment in April, sold from 542c for the heavier 96 Angus x Santas averaging 290 kg to 601c for the 126 lighter Angus types at 266 kg; 139 of their Angus heifer sisters at 260 kg made 431c.

Heifer prices softened across most weights. The 200–280 kg category averaged 477c/kg, down 21c, clearing 63 per cent of 2,114 offered; 280–330 kg heifers averaged 490c, down 42c, with 57 per cent of 2,237 sold. Heifers over 400 kg held at 513c but cleared only 42 per cent of 715. From Weilmoringle, NSW, 81 Angus heifers averaging 385 kg made 488c/kg for a buyer near Tamworth.

Breeding females were mostly cheaper. An offering of 1,100 non-station-mated cows and calves cleared just 36 per cent with prices down $200 a pair; 747 NSM heifer-and-calf pairs cleared 30 per cent at an average of $3,190, down $30. The only category to rise was station-mated cows and calves, 241 offered, up $881 to $2,975 a pair on an 84 per cent clearance. PTIC cows cleared 6 per cent of 247 head at $2,650; 433 PTIC heifers cleared 31 per cent, down $80 to $1,756.

New South Wales supplied 9,746 head, up 14 per cent, followed by Queensland with 6,038 (down 16 per cent), Victoria 1,389 (up 49 per cent) and Tasmania 658 (up 28 per cent).

Compiled by Beef Central from AuctionsPlus weekly results.

Source: Beef Central