On the back of the previous weeks jump in prices, the three lightest steers categories all increased again, with steers less than 200kg rising $71/head, to average $1,224/head.
Compared to only 260 head the previous week, last week’s offering of 1,569 steers less than 200kg was the highest in several months, with the clearance rate reaching 93%.
Coinciding with the surge in supply of the lightest steer lines was another very large offering of 200-280kg steers, with the 2,514 head selling to an 89% clearance rate. 200-280kg steers averaged $24/head higher on last week, at $1,701/head.
The heaviest steer category of 400kg+ slipped back $36/head, or 6c from last week, to average $2,423/head – with another very large offering of 2,219 head registering a 77% clearance rate.
If previous weeks are an indicator, this clearance rate will rise steadily over the next few days, as negotiations continue between vendors and buyers.
The five young heifer categories returned mixed results this week, with prices edging higher for the two heaviest segments. Heifers in the 330-400kg category averaged $27 higher, at $2,149/head. In contrast, the 280-330kg heifer category slipped $29 lower, after last weeks $60 gain, averaging $1,868/head – with a 77% clearance rate for the 981 head offered.
It was another week of tight numbers and high reserve levels through the proven breeding lines, with mixed clearance rates.
The 1,382 PTIC heifers offered sold to a 60% clearance rate, while prices slipped $52 lower on last week, to average $2,822/head. Always reliant upon breed, age, and bloodlines, the PTIC cow category dropped back $420 this week, to average $2,784/head, with a 71% clearance rate for the 846 head offered.
An indicative line of 84 PTIC cows, largely Red Angus and Santa Gertrudis cross, out of Tara in Southern Queensland, sold to $2,520/head. Averaging 551.5kg liveweight and ranging in age from 2-10 years, the cows had been joined to Red and Black Angus bulls.
Out of Inverell, Northern NSW, 29 NSM predominately Angus cows with 29 calves at foot sold to $3,820/unit – with the cows averaging 512.5kg liveweight and ranging from 2-5 years of age, while the calves averaged 203kg.
-AuctionsPlus