Prices hold steady amid changing conditions
Recent rainfall did little to change prices for slaughter cattle last week.
THERE was little change to price results for slaughter cattle despite more rain sweeping across the eastern states.
Bidding for prime steers, feeder cattle and cows remained within recent price ranges early this week as the market continued to hover between the good season but difficult domestic and export trading conditions due to coronavirus.
In the past week there were limited sales above 400c/kg liveweight for the best vealers and grain-assisted yearling cattle to domestic processors.
On Monday at Pakenham the pick of the milk calves sold to 423c/kg, while at Swan Hill late last week they reached 418c/kg.
But these higher-priced sales have generally been for lighter-weight kill calves in the 280-350kg range.
The general run of prime yearlings to domestic abattoirs has remained stuck in the range of 340c/kg to 390c/kg in the past trading week.
Reports from saleyards suggest export competition for heavy grass steers remains dull.
Most of the grown steers are coming out of southern production areas, and price results from Leongatha and Pakenham in South Gippsland has sales pegged between 300c/kg and 330c/kg.
Outside these areas, plainer and odd lots of bullocks were discounted down to 280c/kg.
The cow market appears under pressure, opening on a softer note at the major saleyards on Monday.
Heavy beef cows sold at rates 5-10c/kg lower at Wagga Wagga, with the National Livestock Reporting Service noting that not all the regular exporters were active amid reports some abattoirs have wound back production and kill shifts.
Most of the better beef cows sold in a range of 240c/kg to 290c/kg, with just odd sales of high yielding females higher.
Much of the positive sentiment coming out of the market was around young store cattle, which continue to attract strong competition from restockers, particularly from properties in NSW that are emerging from drought with little stock.
Good lines of young steers and heifers selling back to the paddock were dearer again at Wagga Wagga, with prices trending between 400c/kg and 500c/kg.
The average cost of young steers to restockers, 200-280kg, was 488c/kg or $1012 and the average for heifers was 422c/kg or $972.
The highest cents-a-kilogram price for young calves to restockers at Wagga Wagga was 528c/kg.
Results for young cattle on AuctionsPlus continued at very strong levels last week thanks to restocker demand as autumn feed improves.
Small steers under 200kg sold from 356c/kg to 669c/kg to average 531c/kg.
The 669c/kg price was for 54 unweaned little Angus calves that weighed 129kg, representing $863.
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