MLA: Weekly Cattle Summary
01 August 2014
Meat & Livestock Australia
AUSTRALIA - The following report is a collection of market summaries from the previous week across Australia's territories from analysts at Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA).
Victoria
Throughput lifts
Total Victorian cattle throughput, as reported by MLA’s National Livestock Reporting Service, increased 10 per cent week-on-week, to 11,425 head, write market analysts at MLA. Throughout at Bairnsdale and Pakenham lifted, to 835 head and 1,518 head, respectively, while supply eased 11 per cent at Leongatha, totalling 1,359 head. Yardings at Shepparton improved 6 per cent, to 1,800 head, while consignments at Wodonga lifted 13 per cent, to offer just over 3,000 head. Supply at Camperdown was 30 per cent higher on 1,107 head, while throughput at Warrnambool decreased 6 per cent to 889 head.
Cows attract the best demand
Young cattle quality was generally plain across all markets, with limited supplementary fed lines at Shepparton and Wodonga. Demand mainly followed quality, while restockers operated on plainer lines. At Wodonga, domestic buyers competed against a major feedlot buyer for medium weight trade steers.
Grown cattle quality was mixed, with demand easing for grown steers and heifers, while cows attracted the best demand across the majority of markets. Dairy cows met firm demand at Shepparton, while buyers at Pakenham were keen to secure better conditioned beef cows.
Prices mostly fall
Heavy weight B2 vealer steers to slaughter were 1¢ lower on 208¢, while their heifer counterparts were 12¢ cheaper on 189¢/kg. Medium weight C3 yearling steers to slaughter eased 4¢ to 196¢, while heavy weight C3 lines were 6¢ lower on 198¢/kg. Heavy weight C2 yearling steers to feeder buyers decreased 3¢ to 193¢/kg. Medium weight C3 yearling heifers to slaughter were 20¢ cheaper on 179¢, while D3 lines slipped 3¢ to 177¢/kg. Heavy weight C3 and D3 yearling heifers to slaughter lost around 10¢ to range from 130¢ to 210¢/kg.
Heavy weight C2 and C3 grown steers to slaughter were 6¢ to 13¢ cheaper, ranging from 165¢ to 215¢/, while D3 lines to slaughter eased 4¢ to average 201¢/kg. Bullocks to processing orders decreased 6¢ to 192¢, while medium weight D3 grown heifers lost 3¢ to 165¢/kg. Heavy weight dairy manufacturing steers eased 3¢ to 168¢, while medium weight D2 dairy cows gained 8¢ to 126¢/kg. Heavy weight D1 and D2 dairy cows lifted around 2¢ to range from 131¢ to 150¢, while D4 lines to slaughter slipped 1¢ to settle on 157¢/kg.
South Australia
Supply lifts
Total SA cattle supply, as reported by MLA’s National Livestock Reporting Service, lifted 22 per cent week-on-week, totalling 2,353 head. The SA Livestock Exchange penned 33 per cent fewer cattle, at 320 head, while Mount Gambier eased only marginally, back 4 per cent to 708 head. Increased numbers of grown steers and young cattle at Naracoorte helped to offset these declines, up 53 per cent to 1,084 head, as did the return of the Millicent sale which yarded 241 head in total.
Restockers active
Quality was mixed across all markets this week and vealers were in very limited numbers. The SA Livestock Exchange featured a very good selection of lightweight supplementary fed young cattle, while Mount Gambier’s sale generally lacked the quality of previous weeks. Restockers were prominent on suitable young cattle lines, except at the SA Livestock Exchange, where they remained only cautiously active.
Cows attracted solid processor competition, particularly at Naracoorte where he market trended a few cents dearer as a result of improved quality and higher expected yields.
Strong processor demand pushes cow prices higher
MLA analysts report that medium weight C2 yearling steers to restockers and feeders sold 6¢ to 8¢ dearer, averaging 190¢. Heavy weight C2’s to feeder buyers slipped 6¢ to 193¢, while C3’s were purchased by processors at prices 6¢ dearer, averaging 194¢/kg. Medium weight C3 yearling heifers to slaughter were up 13¢ on 190¢, while the heavy weight equivalents averaged 6¢ lower on 182¢/kg.
The C3 heavy grown steers and bullocks were 7¢ to 18¢ cheaper, topping at 211¢ and averaging around 180¢/kg. Medium weight D2 beef cows to processors were close to firm on 118¢/kg. The heavy C2 and 3 cows, also to process, lifted by up to 8¢ and averaged 158¢, while the D3’s were 6¢ dearer to average 156¢/kg. The fair supply D4 cows were the exception to the higher price trends across the heavy weights, easing 7¢ to settle on 148¢/kg.
Queensland
Supply lifts
Total SA cattle supply, as reported by MLA’s National Livestock Reporting Service, lifted 22 per cent week-on-week, totalling 2,353 head. The SA Livestock Exchange penned 33 per cent fewer cattle, at 320 head, while Mount Gambier eased only marginally, back 4 per cent to 708 head. Increased numbers of grown steers and young cattle at Naracoorte helped to offset these declines, up 53 per cent to 1,084 head, as did the return of the Millicent sale which yarded 241 head in total.
Restockers active
Quality was mixed across all markets this week and vealers were in very limited numbers. The SA Livestock Exchange featured a very good selection of lightweight supplementary fed young cattle, while Mount Gambier’s sale generally lacked the quality of previous weeks. Restockers were prominent on suitable young cattle lines, except at the SA Livestock Exchange, where they remained only cautiously active.
Cows attracted solid processor competition, particularly at Naracoorte where he market trended a few cents dearer as a result of improved quality and higher expected yields.
Strong processor demand pushes cow prices higher
Medium weight C2 yearling steers to restockers and feeders sold 6¢ to 8¢ dearer, averaging 190¢. Heavy weight C2’s to feeder buyers slipped 6¢ to 193¢, while C3’s were purchased by processors at prices 6¢ dearer, averaging 194¢/kg. Medium weight C3 yearling heifers to slaughter were up 13¢ on 190¢, while the heavy weight equivalents averaged 6¢ lower on 182¢/kg.
The C3 heavy grown steers and bullocks were 7¢ to 18¢ cheaper, topping at 211¢ and averaging around 180¢/kg. Medium weight D2 beef cows to processors were close to firm on 118¢/kg. The heavy C2 and 3 cows, also to process, lifted by up to 8¢ and averaged 158¢, while the D3’s were 6¢ dearer to average 156¢/kg. The fair supply D4 cows were the exception to the higher price trends across the heavy weights, easing 7¢ to settle on 148¢/kg.
New South Wales
Supply similar
NSW cattle supply as reported by MLA’s NLRS lifted only 5 per cent week-on-week, to total 22,804 head, write market analysts at Meat and Livestock Australia.
Supply at Armidale eased to 417 head, while at Casino yardings lifted 8 per cent , to 1,300 head. CTLX yarded 11 per cent more cattle (2,630 head), while supply at Dubbo settled around 6,000 head.
Throughput at Forbes and Gunnedah lifted 18 per cent and 30 per cent , to 2,508 head and 1,260 head, respectively. Consignments at Inverell improved with 1,332 head offered, while at Scone 10 per cent more cattle were offered for a total of 996 head. Singleton and Tamworth both reduced their supplies around 25 per cent , to 550 head and 981 head, respectively. Yardings at Wagga increased 25 per cent , to 4,800 head.
Grown cattle quality lifts
Young cattle quality was mostly mixed across all markets with the better finished, off crop of supplementary fed lines commanding the better prices. There were some good lines of yearlings at Wagga which sold to solid feeder and processing interest. Restocker activity was a little higher this week across most markets and this saw prices improve. There were some large consignments of Queensland cattle yarded at Dubbo.
Grown steers, heifers and cow quality all reported to have improved this week. The absence of some buyers at Tamworth, Gunnedah and Wagga affected prices received, however overall those in better condition sold to the best prices.
Feeder and restocker buyers help lift prices
Medium weight C2 vealer steers to restocker orders were 7¢ dearer on 179¢, while medium weight vealer heifers were 3¢ higher on 155¢/kg. Light weight C2 yearling steers to restockers were 7¢ cheaper on 174¢, while medium weight C2 lines to feed were 1¢ higher on 193¢/kg. Heavy weight C2 yearling steers to feed were 2¢ dearer on 194¢, while heavy weight C3 lines to slaughter slipped 3¢, to 197¢/kg. Medium weight C2 yearling heifers to feed gained 2¢ to 166¢, while those to slaughter were 1¢ higher on 173¢/kg. Heavy weight C3 yearling heifers to slaughter eased 5¢, to average 178¢/kg.
Medium weight C3 grown steers to slaughter decreased 2¢ to 186¢, while heavy weight C3 lines to slaughter slipped 3¢ to 190¢/kg. Bullocks to slaughter gained 5¢ to settle on 184¢/kg. Medium weight C3 grown heifers to slaughter were unchanged in price on 168¢, while D3 drafts improved 6¢ to 146¢/kg.
Medium weight D2 and D3 cows to slaughter lifted 5¢ to 7¢, to range from 91¢ to 146¢, while heavy weight D3 and D4 lines slipped 1¢, to range from 110¢ to 164¢/kg.
