Mixed quality at store cattle sale

AT the August store cattle sale at Powranna this week agents yarded 1,577 cattle (746 more than the July sale). 

Quality was mixed as would be expected at this time of the year with not much weight but there were some good lines of well bred yearlings and weaners. 

As we expected the market was stronger across the board with steers being the standout with many $150 to $300/head higher and heifers stronger but not by the same degree. 

Competition came all over the state and with no interstate interest as our prices start to match theirs. Heavy yearling steers (over 400 kg) made $1,120 to $1,900 (average 420c/kg live). 

Medium (330-400 kg) $1,060 to $1,900 (400c) and lighter (0-330 kg) $860 to $1,560 (470c). 

Medium weight steer weaners (280-330 kg) made $1,120 to $1,520 (440c), light (200-280 kg) $880 to $1,360 (470c) and very small $600 to $720/head. 

Heavy yearling heifers sold for $1,400 to $1,480 (340c), medium $1,120 to $1,380 (350c) and small $800 to $1,200. 

Heavy heifer weaners made $1,000 to $1,180 (310c), medium $720 to $1,060 (285c), light $640 to $980 (320c) and very small $420 to $680 (305c). 

There were 35 cows and calves and most made $1,350 to $1,900 with odd light crossbred unit down to $550. 

Interstate cattle markets are seeing the cow prices as the highlight with plenty of heavy beef cows making 300c to 350c/kg realising over $2,000/ head for the big heavy types. 

In some markets we are seeing cow prices higher than trade cattle prices which is almost unheard of.

Lamb markets are struggling to maintain recent rates with many more averages around 800c to 850c/kg carcass weight (instead of the 850-900c a few weeks ago). 

The good lambs are selling well but some of the lighter lambs are struggling. 

Talking of unfinished new season lambs, last week there were over 20,000 on the screen with an average of $110 while at Bendigo on Monday there was a big line of dorpers that made $48 to $84 going back to the paddock. 

The season in the big producing parts of Eastern Australia will play a big part in how this will play out between now and Christmas.

This time last year I wrote a story for the Tas Country in which we talked about forward lamb contract prices at 500- 550c/kg. 

Compare that to this year’s prices of between 800c and 900c/kg. Also this time last year the best mutton were only making $30 to $50/head. 

A welcome change in 12 months.