MOUNT GAMBIER CATTLE – WEDNESDAY 1440 (324)
AGENTS yarded an increased number of 1440 head of live weight and open auction cattle at Mount Gambier on Wednesday.
These sold to the usual array of trade and processor buyers with active feeder orders and a small number of restockers, who found it hard going to purchase significant numbers with the rates being paid.
Quality was generally good throughout the offering as the market kicked again to sell to dearer rates.
Vealer steers jumped 15c to 20c with the trade active from 426c to a high of 459c with feeder orders selling from 401c to 442c and restockers to a top of 430c/kg.
Vealer heifers to the trade made from 410c to 455c and feeders sourced these from 400c to 438c/kg.
Yearling steers to the trade made from 385c to 430c with similar heifers selling from 378c to 436c/kg.
Feeders competed strongly for steers, selling from 404c to 439c and for heifers, making from 322c to 427c/kg.
Restockers operated on steers up to 433c and heifers sold from 390c to 440c/kg.
Numbers nearly doubled in the grown steers and bullocks as the trade operated from 348c to 392c and up to 400c on lighter weights with a lift of up to 8c as feeder buyers competed strongly here from 345c to a high of 432c/kg.
Grown heifers sold from 328c to 408c as manufacturing steers made from 262c to 348c/kg.
Cows lifted in price by 5c to 10c as the heavy selection sold from 285c to a high 331c with the lighter types making from 205c to 283c as restockers paid from 255c to 307c, whilst feeders made from 285c to 330c/kg.
Heavy bulls sold from 278c to 314c/kg.
MOUNT GAMBIER SHEEP – WEDNESDAY 4721 (1450)
NUMBERS lifted as agents yarded 4451 lambs and 270 sheep for a total of 4721 head overall.
The offering sold to a slightly smaller field of trade and processor buyers combined with some restocker interest seeking lambs to grow on.
Quality was again generally good as the market prices sold from firm to slightly easier in places.
Restockers purchased their lambs during the sale from $117 to $152/head.
Light lambs to the trade sold from $105 to $140 as the light trade weight 2 and 3 score selection made from $112 to $155/head.
Trade weight 3 score lambs were $2 to $5 cheaper as they sold from $142 to $170/head with most lambs making from 710c to 750c/kg cwt.
Heavy lambs sold firm and made from $168 to $192 as the few extra heavy pens sold from $195 to a market high of $216/head.
Hoggets made from $126 to $153, light weight ewes sold from $80 to $113 and the heavy ewes made from $110 to $155/head.
Rams of all breeds sold from $55 to $100/head.
NARACOORTE CATTLE – TUESDAY 1164 (-5)
Numbers remained steady as agents yarded 1164 head of live weight and open auction cattle.
These sold to the usual array of trade and processor buyers along with feeder and restocker orders.
Quality was mixed as the sale sold to dearer rates where well-bred cattle with weight and finish continue to make excellent returns while the secondary types are extremely dear in comparison.
Vealer numbers were small as steers sold to 442c and the heifers to 444c/kg with the trade, feeders and restockers all being active. Yearling steers jumped 10c to 15c as they sold from 355c to 442c with feeders also purchasing at these rates while restockers sought supply up to 440c/kg.
Yearling heifers to the trade made from 326c to 425c with feeder activity selling from 326c to 423c and restockers operating from
419c to 430c/kg.
Grown steers and bullocks to the trade made from 340c to 426c to be up to 10c better in price as feeders sought supply from
370c to 434c/kg.
Grown heifers to the trade sold from 315c to 395c with feeder support making from 348c to 375c/kg.
Heavy cows ranged from firm to 3c better in price as they sold from 298c to 329c with the lighter types returning from 230c to 294c/kg.
Heavy bulls ranged from 269c to 300c with light weights selling to feed on up to 384c/kg.
NARACOORTE SHEEP – TUESDAY 23,384 (-7281)
NUMBERS eased as agents yarded 23,384 lambs with a fall of over 2500 on the previous week’s sale, with no sheep being yarded for a two-week period due to this month’s upcoming first cross ewe and lamb sales.
The lambs on offer sold to the usual array of trade and processor buyers with extra active restockers this week seeking lighter weights to grow on.
Quality was still excellent with plenty of weight and condition in the top end while trade lambs are still highly sought after as the lighter lambs are starting to lose some of their freshness as the season starts to dry off.
Rates being paid were similar to the week before as the sale ranged from firm to slightly dearer in places.
Light lambs to the trade sold from $120 to $146 as the light weight trade 2 and 3 score selection returned from $132 to $160/head.
Restockers provided strong competition as they sourced lambs to turn out from $80 to $142 for lighter types and from $150 to $188/head for those with more conditioning.
Trade weight 3 score lambs sold from $149 to $172/head with most sales returning from 700c to 770c/kg cwt.
Heavy lambs made from $168 to $199 as the extra heavy selection made from $198 to a market high of $242/head.
The few hoggets yarded sold from $124 to $177/head.
