Powranna cattle prices best in last 12 months

CATTLE markets throughout Eastern Australia have shown improvement mainly driven by feeders and the export market for grown steers and cows.

Last week agents yarded 831 store cattle Powranna in a yard that saw many well presented pens of weaners and yearlings considering the season and time of the year.

As was expected the market was much stronger than a month ago with most cattle $200 to $300/head higher and driven by local buyers leaving the interstaters with very few.

Heavy weaner steers (over 300 kg) made $1,180 to $1,340 (av. 345c/kg), medium (280-330 kg) $1,000 to $1,140 (370c), light (200-280 kg) $660 to $1,110 (370c) and very small $600 to $680/head. 

The best yearling steers made $1,360 to $1,620 and medium weights $920 to $1,520 (340c).

The best weaner heifers made $900 to $1,100 and light $580 to $920 (av. 300-315c).

 The heaviest yearling heifers sold for $1,100 to $1,180 and medium $880 to $1,070 (275c).

In interstate prime markets the cow prices have been the highlight with most heavy cows averaging over 300c/kg liveweight and at Wagga on Monday most heavy cows made $1,815 to $2,488 and lighter $1,000 to $1,400. 

Grown steers and bullocks are nudging 400c for the tops with averages in Victoria and NSW around 350c while in Queensland the average is around 305c with quality not as good as the Southern states.

 At Powranna on Tuesday we saw a good selection of grown steers and these improved 30c/kg to make between 256c and 300c while heavy export heifers made 278c to 298c/kg live. These prices are the best for about 12 months.

There has been a bit of a correction in the lamb and mutton markets over the past week which is not surprising given the steep increases over the last month. 

Prime lambs are still selling well with most working out between 850c and 880c with an odd pen over 900c/kg carcass weight. 

As we have discussed over the last couple of weeks some of the big exporters have cut their lamb kill back commenting that the big rise in lamb prices was unsustainable. 

I think the general thoughts are that exporters are comfortable around 800c and uncomfortable at 900c/kg.

Watch this space because there will be a definite shortage of finished lambs in Eastern Australia until at least the end of September.