Prime cattle prices strong across Victoria

Prime cattle have sold to strong demand at Wodonga, Pakenham and Mortlake this week. Our guide details the price ranges.

Prices were dearer in place for prime cattle sold at Pakenham and Mortlake this week.

Quality cattle were scarce at the Wodonga prime market this morning.

Meat and Livestock Australia’s Leann Dax reported the quality of the trade cattle was plainer, with only limited numbers of well finished stock.

“The limited supplies of well finished cattle across all grades contributed to a fluctuating market. The usual winter buying group were in attendance”, Ms Dax said in her report.

“Vealers sold to cheaper trends recording a top price of 526c/kg.

Yearlings to the trade slipped in price by 29c/kg to average 498c/kg. Trade heifers were unchanged to a few cents easier averaging 498c/kg.

“Feeder steers were in limited numbers and quality was quite good. The bulk of the steers sold to dearer trends selling from 422c/kg to 540c/kg.”.

At Pakenham’s prime sale yesterday, prices were 10c/kg dearer in places.

MLA’s Brendan Fletcher reported there were 580 export and 150 young cattle yarded at Pakenham, with the usual buying group present and operating in a dearer market.

“Quality was limited with prime lots in short supply as cows represented more than half of

the sale,” Mr Fletcher said in his report.

“Vealers eased 10c/kg-15c/kg with quality an issue. The yearling trade cattle included some grain-assisted lots and sold firm to 10c/kg dearer and more on some sales.”

Most grown steers were snapped up by feedlots making 10c/kg more than last week’s sale.

Cows sold 10c/kg-20c/kg dearer and heavy bulls gained 8c/kg.

Vealers sold from 470c/kg to 541c/kg and yearling trade steers made 480c/kg-550c/kg.

Grown steers and a pen of bullocks made 440c/kg-475c/kg and heavy grown heifers showing good finish sold from 420c/kg to 518c/kg.

Meanwhile at Mortlake prime cattle sale this morning, MLA’s Erich Gstrein reported 529 mixed-quality cattle were yarded.

Mr Gstrein said price averages were similar to last week for young and grown cattle, but restockers paid a little more at the top end for yearlings.

Dairy cows were 20c/kg-30c/kg cheaper in comparison with the previous week and the few yearling steers were mostly purchased by restockers who paid 463c/kg-480c/kg and a top of 530c/kg.

Quality yearling heifers sold from 410c/kg to 492c/kg to restockers, while the trade paid mainly from 390c/kg to 485c/kg with a top sale at 498c/kg.

Grown steers made 420c/kg-430c/kg, beef-bred grown heifers made from 415c/kg to 440c/kg and dairy breeds attracted 355c/kg-396c/kg.

Beef-bred cows sold from 332c/kg to 402c/kg with the few better-covered dairy cows making 280c/kg-298c/kg.

It comes as the supply-demand balance was still tight for cattle at the Pakenham store sale last week as feedlots grappled to secure numbers.

Weaner steers weighing 290kg-350kg made from 580c/kg to 630c/kg while calves under 250kg sold for 700c/kg or more.

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