Total Yarding: 860

Export cattle prices remained mostly unchanged but trade cattle were mainly 10c/kg cheaper with some yearling sales closer to equal. Just the odd pens of grown steers were up to 5c higher but light conditioned cows overall regained 6c to 8c/kg. The further reduced sized offering of cattle was again mixed, but each category had a good selection of top end quality. There was a near usual following of the current field of processor and restocker buyers who bid steadily.

Most C muscled vealers sold between 240c and 255c with processors paying to 260c and from 265c to 278c/kg for the B2 and B3 vealers. Restockers paid between 240c and 243c and a single light weight steer made 259c/kg. The C muscled yearlings sold from 230c to 255c with an isolated pen of 8 steers at 268c and restockers paid to 263c for heifers and 259c/kg for steers. The D2 yearlings went to restockers from 190c to 248c and the D1 grade cost them 170c to 212c/kg.

The mainly good quality yarding of medium and heavy weight C3 and C4 grown steers made between 247c and 268c/kg. The older and crossbred 3 and 4 score steers sold from 230c to 245c/kg. There were a few C3 and C4 grown heifers this week and they sold from 223c to 243c/kg. Prices for the E1 cows made the same as last week at 138c to 175c but the average was up 6c to 8c/kg. The D1 cows made 165c to 190c, D2 grade was from 180c to 202c/kg. Most of the C3 and C4 beef cows sold from 202c to 215c with odd sales to 220c/kg. The plain to average line up of bulls saw 11 E2 jerseys make 180c and the 4 B2 beef bulls from 234c to 245c/kg.

Market Report: Reproduced courtesy of Meat & Livestock Australia Limited. Full report: https://www.mla.com.au/CachedNLRSReports/Mortlake-Cattle-Report-05-Mar-2018.PDF?id=636558581474201900

Photo: Mark Lazzari from Dunkeld, watching his cattle over the weighbridge, was very happy with the sale today, especially his 14 Angus x Angus Heifers which sold for 243c/kg.

CLICK HERE to download the WVLX Market Report – Prime Cattle sale – 5 March 2018.