Vealers in demand

There was a considerably larger vealer sale last Thursday at Mt Barker, with the total yarding up by almost 1000 to 2620, with a smaller trade yarding of 610 head sold.

Heavy weight steer and heifer supplies continued to be limited as were trade weight yearling numbers, with cow supplies fair and quality throughout the yarding very mixed.

Bullock rates eased marginally at 110 to 129c/kg to average 126c/kg with export weight steers 500 to 600kg (lwt) dearer at 140 to 143c/kg and mixed quality dairy drafts 108 to 115c/kg.

Heavy weight boning room heifer sales fell 3 to 4c/kg at 115 to 118c/kg.

Trade weight steers enjoyed dearer rates under an increased grazier and feeder competition at 144 to 165c/kg, with heifer rates also heifer up 10 to 20c/kg after the limited demand the previous week on sales of 130 to 165c/kg to average 158c/kg.

There was more overall weight in the vealer yarding with quality remaining solid.

The market enjoyed another increase in demand as heavy weight vealer steers in excess of 330kg rose 2 to 4c/kg at 175 to 213c/kg to average 203c/kg, medium weights were also dearer 179 to 230c/kg or 215c/kg with lightweight up very sharply 185 to 238c/kg to average 226c/kg.

Heavy weight vealer heifers were dearer 10 to 15c/kg 172 to 198c/kg, medium weight sales were firm 170 to 188 with light weight up sharply 180 to 194c/kg to average 189c/kg. Cow quality remained mixed. Heavy weight prime sales were slightly firmer to both the trade and graziers at 85 t 104c/kg for a 98c/kg average with over conditioned rates 82 to 85c/kg and plainer conditioned cows 73 to 100c/kg.

Heavy weight bull rates remained equal at 105 to 125c/kg to average 113c/kg with light weight sales 154 to 175c/kg.