MARKET REPORT – 12 FEBRUARY, 2018
Total Yarding: 1427
Overall the quality of the increased yarding of cattle was not up to the high standard set at last week’s sale. There was, however, the odd very good pen in some categories, but the bulk of the yarding was mixed with more dairy bred cattle available. One less trade buyer attended, but an additional restocker competed keenly alongside the usual following of buyers of which not all operated fully. Prices for vealers were overall dearer aided by restocker competition, while yearlings sold from unchanged to slightly easier. Restocking heifers were on average a few cents higher. Grown steers sold 8c to 15c cheaper but the odd few sales were only slightly easier and grown heifers averaged 5c to 10c/kg cheaper. The plainer the 1 score cows the dearer they were, due in part to restocker competition. The E1 grade averaged 20c higher while D1 cows were 10c better and D2 grades made from 2c to 10c/kg more. Well covered beef cows sold at mostly equal prices, but B2 heavy weight bulls made 10c more to sell between 235c and 261c with an A2 bull at 265c/kg.
The vealers sold from 240c to 290c with three B2 steers at 319c/kg. Restockers paid 250c to 303c with seven B2 heifers at 313c/kg. Yearling steers made 220c to 265c with odd sales to 280c and restockers paid to 278c/kg. The yearling heifers sold between 227c and 255c with restockers from 219c/kg.
Most C3 and C4 grown steers made 230c to 265c with the best sale at 272c/kg. Restockers paid 220c to 265c for the C2 and C3 grades. The D2 manufacturing dairy steers sold from 197c to 209c with beef bred to 222c/kg. There were fewer good C3 and C4 grown heifers and they sold from 220c to 248c/kg. The E1 cows made 142c to 180c, D1’s from 175c to 198c and the D2 cows sold between 184c and 206c/kg. The C3 to C5 beef cows made from 205c to 218c with a very good quality pen at 225c/kg.
Market Report: Reproduced courtesy of Meat & Livestock Australia Limited. Full MLA report: https://www.mla.com.au/CachedNLRSReports/Mortlake-Cattle-Report-12-Feb-2018.PDF?id=636540489206957728. To download a copy of the report, click HERE.
Photo: Simon Henderson, SKB Rodwells, pictured with Barry Walsh (who is in partnership with Matthew Williams from Wangoom), sold cattle for $2.48 per kilo – Angus Friesian cross.
Click HERE to download the WVLX Market Report – Prime Cattle Sale – 12 February 2018.