Pastoral cattle dominate

Muchea saleyards on Monday saw 2424 cattle yarded, including a total of 1163 calves in the calf appraisal sale.

The large yarding consisted mainly of pastoral cattle with cows the largest class to be sold and a large portion of pastoral types were also at hand in the calf appraisal sale.

Vealer supplies were very limited and lacking in weight and quality to be cheaper this week. Vealer steers managed to achieve similar average prices to last week, however, vealer heifers recorded cheaper prices of 6 to 10c/kg.

Overall vealer steer prices ranged from 175 to 209c/kg to average 201c/kg, while vealer heifer prices ranged from 150 to 197c/kg to average 178c/kg.

The very few heavy weight grown cattle included in the yarding achieved dearer prices for both local and pastoral drafts. Yearling steer prices ranged from 95c/kg to 195c/kg to average 162.2c/kg, while yearling heifer prices ranged from 53c/kg to 190c/kg to average 105.6c/kg. Grown steer prices ranged from 116c/kg to 185c/kg to average 133.9c/kg, while grown heifer prices ranged from 70c/kg to 161c/kg to average 114.6c/kg.

Heavy weight 3 and 4 score cows received limited competition to record cheaper prices this week.

Competition was reserved for lighter conditioned cows, while Pastoral cows also received good demand and competition to finish slightly dearer. Overall cow prices ranged from 50c/kg to 114c/kg to average 92.4c/kg.

Heavy weight bulls enjoyed stronger competition to achieve dearer prices this week, possibly due to the limited yarding.

There was a large quantity of pastoral bulls achieving mixed results. Locally bred light weight bulls sold strongly to good live export demand.

Bull prices ranged from 74c/kg to 180c/kg to average 128.8c/kg.

Tuesday’s sheep and lamb sale saw a very large number yarded with many vendors getting in before the Christmas holidays. The total yarding of 16,639 head consisted predominantly of ewe mutton and crossbred lambs, with good competition recorded for both.

All trade representatives were present at the sale and active in the market with good local and interstate feeder and restocker competition also present.

There was some good weight and quality included in the crossbred lamb yarding with better competition recorded to achieve higher prices.

Higher prices were recorded for all grades with store crossbred lambs continuing to receive strong demand. Lamb prices ranged from $37.50 to $115/head to average $78.13/head.

Ewe mutton supplies increased, but so to did demand with prices dearer for all grades of ewe mutton, selling predominantly to processors. Ewe prices ranged from $42 to $113.50/head to average $77.72/head.