PHOTO: A group of 25+ Ag students from Marcus Oldham College toured our prime market today, looking at our facility and processes and talking to the WVLX manager, an Agent (as pictured) and a meat processing buyer.

Total Yarding: 164

Cattle numbers were slightly lower at Mortlake, with 164 head sold. Quality did improve, with the majority of the market from average to good. A few extra buyers attended, plus there was an increase in restocker and feeder interest. Prices showed an upward trend for most sales as they were from 10c to 20c/kg dearer on last week, with a few isolated sales of the better quality cattle higher, due to a lift in demand. The sale consisted of approximately 83 yearling cattle, 6 grown steers, 41 grown heifers, 15 bulls and 19 cows.

The C2 and C3 yearling steers to the trade sold from 210c to the market top of 278c, with restockers paying 255c to 275c/kg. Most of the yearling heifers sold were purchased by restockers and feeders as they paid 223c to 263c, the plainer D2 heifers to the processors sold from 180c to 204c, and the restockers also paid from 115c to 160c/kg for lighter yearling heifers.

Grown steers from C2 to C4 grades sold from 232c to 270c to increased competition, the medium to heavy weight grown heifers made from 220c to 267c, and the D2 grade portion sold from 190c to 220c/kg. Restockers purchased well-bred grown heifers from 220c to 276c, and they also paid 150c to 187c/kg for D2 grown heifers. The limited selection of the cows sold saw the lighter dairy bred cows sell from 100c to 144c and the medium to heavy beef cows make from 221c to 235/kg. The beef bulls sold were mostly of C2 grades and the prices ranged from 192c to 208c/kg.

Market Report: Reproduced courtesy of Meat & Livestock Australia Limited.

CLICK HERE for full WVLX Market Report.