Prices were slightly lower for three of the four heaviest young steer categories last week. Only 280-330kg steers averaged higher, edging $16 up, at $2,045/head – also registering the highest clearance rate, at 86%, for the 2,325 head offered.
Through the lighter 200-280kg lines, prices eased back $60 on last week, to average $1,801/head, with a 74% clearance rate for the 1,829 head offered.
From Mitchell, Queensland, a line of 114 8-10-month-old Brahman/Droughtmaster steers weighing 209kg liveweight, returned $1,755/head, or 842c/kg liveweight.
A jump in feeder steer numbers, to 1,979 head, contributed to a $71 decline for the week, to average $2,392/head, or 531c/kg lwt.
Weighing an average of 439kg liveweight, a line of 113 Angus feeder steers (pictured), aged 17-18 months from Holbrook NSW, returned $2,710/head, or 618c/kg.
Some excellent quality young heifers helped to boost average prices this week, with 200-280kg lines averaging $55 higher on last week, at $1,838/head. From Camboon Queensland, a line of 131 weaned heifers aged 8-15 months returned $1,620/head, or 641c/kg. Consisting of Droughtmaster, Charbray, Santa Gertrudis and Brangus breeds, the heifers averaged 253kg liveweight.
Similarly, 330-400kg lines jumped $111 on last week, to average $2,296/head. However, in between these two categories, 280-330kg heifers dropped $187 on last week, to $1,804/head – missing out on the lots with exceptional bloodlines offered in neighboring weight categories.
For the heaviest heifers over 400kg, prices edged $5 higher on last week, to $2,438/head, with a 67% clearance rate for the 936 head offered.
From Yambacoona Tasmania, three even lines totalling 120 head of Angus heifers returned $2,700/head, or 633c/kg liveweight. The heifers were aged 16-18-months, weigh an average of 427kg liveweight, and are set to travel into Victoria.
For the proven breeder lines, it was a largely cheaper week, albeit with most categories just giving back the gains of previous week.
PTIC heifers slipped back $104 on last week, to average $3,015/head, with the clearance rate of 70% for the 2,604 head offered. The premium over PTIC cows narrowed slightly, with PTIC cows easing only $65 , to average $2,823/head.
-AuctionsPlus