Lightweight weaner steers shot into new territory on Friday with Shorthorn crosses making a whopping 1220c/kg live weight.
The five to 10 month-old Shorthorn and Hereford cross steers from Gilgandra, NSW, weighed an average of 118kg and sold for $1370.
With the largest weekly offering in months, at 1,638 head, the 400kg+ steer category declined 3c on last week, to average 530c/kg lwt, or $2,371/head – with an above average 86% clearance rate for the week.
The 32% increase in the supply of heavy steers continued the trend of recent weeks, with a steady amount of well finished grassfed yearling steers hitting the market.
For the lightest steer categories, clearance rates ranged from 99% for less than 200kg lines, down to 90% for the 1,122 head of 330-400kg steers offered.
With 1,371 head listed for the week, 280-330kg steers jumped $90, to average $1,900/head for the week – erasing almost all last week’s $94 fall. 200-280kg steers averaged $74 higher for the week, at $1,652/head.
All five young heifer categories registered a sharp rise in offerings this week, with prices averaging lower for all but one.
A 51% jump in the supply of 200-280kg heifers contributed to a $66 decline for the week, to average $1,526/head – albeit with a very healthy 95% clearance rate. 280-330kg heifers also increased by 50%, with 1,444 head offered – selling to an 87% clearance rate and $106 cheaper, at $1,837/head.
Going against the trend of the heifer lines was the 330-400kg category, which jumped $82 on last week, to average $2,076/head – with a 94% clearance rate for the 1,865 head offered.
It was another varied week through the breeding lines, with the 1,224 PTIC heifers slipping back $191, to average $2,595/head after last weeks $352 gain. Following a higher clearance rate last week, PTIC heifers slipped back to 55%, with reports indicating producers this week went back to targeting the heavier unjoined lines.
There was a limited offering through most breeding categories this week, with 527 PTIC cows selling to a 73% clearance rate and averaging $244 higher on last week, at $2,739/head.