Online light heifer offering jumps

The benchmark steer price fell 2pc while the AYCI experienced a 10pc fall. There was a big spread in the listing locations for the week with most regions across the eastern seaboard seeing stock coming forward, perhaps in the lead-up to the end of the financial year.

The sold at auction premium continues to be strong, with the prices received during the auction holding above 12.5pc, while the gap between weaners and feeders grew 6c/kg, with feeders now 35c/kg less than the weaner prices.

Processor/lotfeeder activity improved slightly but remained subdued with 5.95pc or 518 of the lots offered being secured by processor/feedlot buyers. These lots were mainly Angus steers ranging from 280-400kg. Agents and assessors also noted that there was some activity on station-mated and pregnancy tested in-calf cows from processors.

Steer prices were mixed with lighter steers 200-330kg receiving reasonably similar pricing to the previous week. Heavy steers 330-400kg increased in number by 22pc week on week and improved 15c/kg lwt, while 400kg+ categories reduced in number and price with a fall of 52c/kg lwt.

From Coleraine, Vic, a line of 80 Angus steers aged eight to 10 months and weighing 217kg returned $850, or 393c/kg lwt and will travel to a buyer in Deniliquin, NSW.

Overall the heifer offering increased, especially in the light heifer categories. In the 200-280kg heifer category, listings increased by 59pc with prices suffering as a result, back $189, which represents 86c/kg. These light heifers, often seen as the bellwether of confidence, will be closely looked at as the season continues. Heifers 280-330kg saw a small increase in listings and an improvement in price, up by 29c/kg. Few heifers 400kg + were listed.

From Inverleigh, Vic, a line of 73 Angus heifers aged 11 to 12 months and weighing 312kg returned $940, or 302c/kg lwt and will travel to a buyer in Hamilton.

There were similar numbers of both PTIC heifers and PTIC cows to previous weeks. PTIC cows dipped slightly week on week to average $1596, with clearance rates holding 68pc, however PTIC heifers lost ground with a low clearance of 25pc and a price reduction of $291. Cows and calves also sold to subdued competition with SM cows and calves topping $2200.

From Orange, NSW, a line of 27 Angus cows aged three to eight years and weighing 559kg returned $2200, or 394c/kg lwt and will travel to a buyer in Bathurst, NSW.

Sheep listings slipped to 34,168, a decrease of 7pc. The smaller offering was met with mixed competition as clearance fell to 52pc at the fall of the hammer, although it did increase significantly in post-auction negotiations with a final clearance of 68pc.

Value over reserve averaged $13, and while back week-on-week, it again proves that achievable reserves end in positive results even in flat markets.

The crossbred lamb indicator rose $1 to finish at $126, whereas the AuctionsPlus Restocker Lamb indicator continued to slide, back 25 points to 624c/kg.

Lambs continued to make up the largest portion of the offering, with this category accounting for 43pc of total listings. The other major category of the week was scanned in-lamb ewes, which made up 38pc of the total catalogue. Small numbers of ewes and lambs, Merino wethers and Merino ewe hoggets made up the balance of the listings.

The restocker lamb trade appears to be driven by the dry conditions in the main listing areas of southwest Victoria and the eastern Riverina. Agents report that while these areas have received some rain, there has not been enough to stimulate any major pasture growth. The SIL listing came from very similar areas, so comparative reasons for listing could very easily be drawn.

Processors accounted for 15pc of the sold offering. They were mainly active on crossbred and composite lamb types.

The majority of sheep and lambs stayed within their regions, however the processors did look interstate to fill orders, with movement mainly between Victoria and South Australia.

Crossbred lambs had a slightly larger offering week-on-week with 5577 head offered. These were met with similar demand to the previous week, up $2, although clearance was tight with 59pc at the close of trade.

Composite lambs were the highlight with 3499 offered with a 100pc clearance, including from Walcha, NSW, where a line of 700 composite/composite mixed-sex Sep/Oct 2023 drop, and weighing 44kg lwt, returned $157, or 361c/kg, and will travel to a buyer in Dunedoo, NSW.

Merino wether lamb offerings were back 23pc week-on-week to 4779 head, with the offering selling from $31 to $90, to average $61 - falling an average of $25. Taking into account the reduction in price the demand was solid, with an 68pc clearance achieved and a $10 average value over reserve.

From Isisford, a line of 770 Merino/Merino wethers Aug/Oct 2023 drop, weighing 35kg lwt, returned $78, or 223c/kg and will travel to a buyer at Barmedman, NSW.

SIL Merino ewes met similar demand to the previous week with all lines averaging $120, albeit with clearance back to 50pc.

From Wellington, NSW, a line of 294 Merino/Merino ewes, aged three to five years old and weighing 56kg, returned $134, or 240c/kg lwt and will travel to a buyer in Griffith, NSW.