Angus cows with calves up 146 per cent on last year’s average

Cows-AdaminabyThe Angus breed was easily the largest across the AuctionsPlus cattle sales for January – May 2021, with the 25,562 head offered for PTIC heifers the single largest category.

Large numbers were also registered for the two reported steer lines, along with the PTIC cows and cows with CAF.

Young steers, 200-280kg liveweight, averaged $1,551/head, which was up 22% on the corresponding period in 2020 and 120% from the drought lows of 2019.

Similarly, heifers of the same weight range averaged $1,437/head in 2021, up 40% and 143% on 2020 and 2019, respectively.

Interestingly, the numbers of steers and heifers offered online for both categories were higher in 2019, compared to 2021, indicating the magnitude of the sell-off of drought impacted weaners through 2019 – even with an overall doubling of total numbers offered through AuctionsPlus by 2021.

PTIC heifers for January – May 2021 averaged $2,485/head – up 40% on the same period in 2020 and 106% on 2019.

With 8,376 Angus cows with CAF offered through January – May 2021, prices averaged $3,337/unit, an increase of 53% on 2020 and 141% from the depth of the 2019 drought.

Similarly, PTIC cows, with 8,553 head offered so far in 2021, averaged $2,481/head – up 32% on 2020 and 126% from 2019.

Compared to Angus PTIC heifers in 2021, this was only $4 cheaper, while in 2020, the average PTIC Cow was $111/head higher.