Sheep and lambs
BENDIGO
February 18. Yarding: 16,800. Change: down 3830. Lambs: 13,000. Change: down 1280. Sheep: 3800. Change: down 2550.
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Lamb numbers eased again, while sheep supplies dropped by 40 per cent for an overall yarding of less than 17,000 head.
Quality was again mixed, reflecting the season, with well finished pens of trade and export lambs in limited supply.
There was very few Merino lambs in the offering, but an increase in Dorpers.
Processor demand was much keener than recent weeks, despite some domestic and export buyers still not operating fully.
Prices for all stock showed a dearer trend, with premiums evident for the best domestic and heavy slaughter lambs which lifted back over 700c/kg cwt.
There wasn't a big selection of export lambs, most pens over 30kg cwt sold from $200 to $220, with just two sales at higher levels for the sale tops of $230 and $240/head.
Domestic buyers were active on heavy lambs, helping drive a much dearer price result over pens in the 26-28kg cwt range which sold from $179 to just over $200/head.
The main draft of medium trade weight lambs sold from $160 to $188/head.
Price results for domestic lambs were linked to quality, with premiums of over 700c paid for the better-bred and finished types ahead of the general run at an estimated 670c to 690c/kg.
Store lamb quality and volume wasn't as good as a week ago, and less lambs sold to the paddock.
Overall, the selection of small light weight lambs was generally plain, however prices still showed improvement over the majority.
Sheep supply was much tighter, and quality was also plainer with fewer lines of well-presented first-cross and Merino ewes available.
Demand from buyers was at much stronger levels, resulting in dearer price trends of $10 to $30/head.
Heavy crossbred ewes sold at $115 to $165 to average around $143/head.
Heavy Merino sheep made $115 to $149/head.
The heaviest sheep were estimated as costing processors close to 400c, with rates improving to 430c to 460c/kg across the main lines of trade weight Merino wethers and ewes.
AVERAGES
SUCKERS
J & S Cox (79) Bamawm $ 209.00
CROSSBRED LAMBS
F & S Coghlan (48) Bridgewater $ 240.00
Feeny Bros (76) Gooroc $ 220.00
M Ryan (39) Colbinabbin $ 220.00
F Stewart (59) Colbinabbin $ 217.00
Elysian Downs (93) Raywood $ 216.00
GH Cocking (26) Donald $ 212.00
GA Trewick (40) Wakool $ 210.00
D,J,R & B Pascoe (56) Burnewang Nth $ 201.00
VP Byrne (22) Knowsley $ 198.00
DP & SA Ludeman (21) Raywood $ 197.00
DN Pitson (42) Bagshot $ 196.00
Killara Past Co (54) Boort $ 192.00
A & C Dalrymple (60) Narrewillock $ 190.00
DA White (58) Tandarra $ 188.00
LR McClelland (77) Bealiba $ 182.00
RAMJ P/L (21) Knowsley $ 172.00
W Gould & Sons (56) Woosang $ 171.00
G & J Caine (12) Torrumbarry $ 171.00
DJ & AL Hughes (30) Timmering $ 170.00
W & J Roberts (46) Charlton $ 165.00
D,W & M Turnbull (53) Dumosa $ 160.00
AK Collins P/L (24) Bridgewater $ 154.00
MERINO LAMBS
FG Filmer (67) Barham $ 149.00
Barmoul Nom (49) Barham $ 137.00
CROSSBRED EWES
Beattie (39) Trentham $ 165.00
Hamlin Past (15) Lancefield $ 155.00
M Ryan (38) Colbinabbin $ 146.00
Wegg (54) Romsey $ 145.00
McKinnon & Bailey (32) Marong $ 130.00
MERINO EWES
M Ryan (85) Colbinabbin $ 148.00
C & S Koch ( 21) Campbells Forest $ 146.00
AH Bear (51) Tiverton $ 145.00
TW Harrington (83) Fosterville $ 130.00
Jarrawood (46) Tamleugh $ 125.00
PA & TJ Tobin (54) Baynton $ 117.00
CATTLE
Tuesday, February 19
Better numbers came forward this week, with 226 coming forward.
Heavy steers sold to a top of $2.70 per kilogram and remained firm.
Medium to heavy steers sold to a top of $2.80 per kilogram, 5 cents better than last week.
A good run of vealers came through and the better calves sold to a top of $3.00 per kilo remaining fully firm.
A larger run of cows presented and sold to a top of $1.82 per kilogram, increasing by 5 cents from the previous market.
QUOTES
Heavy Steers over 500kg sold to $2.70
Medium to Heavy Steers 450- 500 kg sold to 2.80
Steer Veal Heavy over 400kgs sold to 2.98
Steer Veal medium 320 – 390kg sold to 3.00
Heifers Veal 420 to 490kgs sold to $ 2.90
Heifer Veal 320 – 390kgs sold to $2.94
Beef Cows - $1.82
AVERAGES
STEERS
L Wright - Huntly $ 1,507.80
RW Rothacker - Serpentine $ 1,334.40
B Kofoed - Mandurang $ 1,076.70
W Kriewaldt - Redesdale $ 1,034.88
VEALERS
Sunnyrose Farms - Toolleen $ 1,196.80
D & K Whitaker - Sutton Grange $ 1,160.80
Houlahan Farms - Axe Creek $ 1,151.92
L Wright - Huntly $ 1,065.96
F Hill - Knowsley $ 1,005.20
J & S Tonkin - Woosang $ 1,001.81
HEIFERS
K Burton - Harcourt $ 1,328.60
R Rothacker - Serpentine $ 1,260.00
BULLS
RJ Bowles - Axe Creek $ 1,820.93
W Kriewaldt - Redesdale $ 1,296.36
ORDER OF SALE
Week ending March 1
McKean & McGregor 1 & 3
Ellis Nuttall 3 & 5
FP Nevins 6 & 4
Landmark 4 & 1
Elders 5 & 2
Rodwells 2 & 6
Cattle prices soften
Cattle prices softened across the board last week, and all major NLRS reported categories of cattle across the east coast are below levels recorded this time last season, including heavy steers.
Feeder steers posted the largest fall, with an 8.7 per cent decline to close at 250c/kg live weight.
The Eastern Young Cattle Indicator (EYCI) registered declines, peeling off 3.3pc on the week to finish a whisker under 460c/kg cwt.
Remaining steer categories eased between 4-6.5pc, while medium cows had the slightest of declines to close the week at 191c/kg lwt.
Young cattle in WA markets trekked sideways to see the WYCI finish a few cents under 500c/kg cwt.
Cattle slaughter levels since the start of 2019 have been following the five-year average seasonal pattern, but have been running 8.6pc above last season’s levels.