Tassie buyers seek Victorian weaners

AS WE near the end of January, we are starting to see some good numbers of lambs and mutton come to the market and plenty of cattle at the abattoirs. 

This is not unusual for this time of the year and with the season throughout most of the state in pretty good shape there isn’t as much urgency to sell as some years. 

Last week Elders and Nutrien yarded 1,585 store cattle at Powranna with quality generally good with more weight than we have seen in recent sales and way fewer small and crossbred types. 

The market was generally better and when compared with interstate markets prices were very competitive if not better. 

The heavy yearling steers (400 + kg) made $1,560 to $1,880 (av.380c), medium (330-400 kg) $1,380 to $1,740 (405c) and smaller (200-300 kg) $1,020 to $1,320 (412c). 

The best weaner steers (330 + kg) made $1,440 to $1,500 (420c), medium (280-330 kg) $1,200 to $1,400 and smaller $960 to $1,240 (440c). 

Heavy yearling heifers made $1,460 to $1,740 (345c), medium $920 to $1,400 (355c) and few small $940 to $1,070. 

Heavy weaner heifers made $1,200 to $1,350 and medium $800 to $940 (350c). 

Competition came from the North West, North East, Northern Midlands and Fingal Valley. 

To back up the strength of this sale, Tasmanian buyers bought weaners out of the Victorian weaner sales over the last couple of weeks. 

As was expected, we are starting to see some bigger numbers of lambs coming to the saleyards and direct to the works which in turn has put some downward pressure on prices right through NSW, Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania. 

There are a lot of interstate averages still sitting between 780c and 850c/kg carcass weight for the good quality lambs and the secondary and woolly lambs are being discounted with some of these averages more in the 700c to 750c range. 

The general consensus seems to be that there will be a fair heap of lambs about over the next couple of months but it is also thought that the good quality lambs over 26 kg might not be plentiful. 

The mutton market has also come back a little bit but many interstate markets this week were still quoted between 370c and 420c/kg which is meaning that a lot of sheep are making over $100/head. 

Census numbers would suggest that there has to be a shortage of mutton to export over the next six to 12 months. 

Finally a word of caution, the regular Powranna sale for next week will be on Wednesday (not Tuesday) because of the Australia Day weekend.