South Australia Weekly Cattle Summary
AUSTRALIA - While numbers remained similar at SA LE, South East yardings are starting to retreat further, which is probably due to the lower prices being paid and feed reserves tightening after the hottest December day ever recorded in the lower South East last Saturday. Mt. Gambier’s export sale could only attract around 668 head, with quality and prices slipping further on most categories. Naracoorte had another very plain quality yarding of young cattle with only a handful of prime quality pens of vealers and grain supplemented yearlings available. Last week’s store sale of some 5,000 head at Naracoorte went against most pundits expectations, with many producers quite happy with their returns even though the expected interstate orders did not eventuate. Mt. Gambier’s young cattle sale had 1,275 head, while Millicent mustered around 630 head in their last sale for this year.For those wanting to sell or buy stock, you had better be quick as the last sale will be next Tuesday at Naracoorte before not having another one until January 9th 2007. SA LE will be operating this Monday before resuming again on Monday 8th January. However, Mt. Gambier will be having a combined sale next Monday, and will be the first cab off the rank on Wednesday 3rd 2007, with Millicent next on Thursday 4th.
While overall quality has been very mixed; there were drafts of very good quality yearlings offered. While the trade, one supermarket and processor competition was steady, feeders and other interested parties were more selective; with most sales fluctuating due to the varying quality offered.
A Fluctuating Priced Sale Week
Vealer steers generally attracted a dearer trend of 4¢ to 13¢ even though all sales were below 164¢/kg, as feeders and restocker sourced the greatest percentage. A strong wholesale order for light vealer heifers in the South East led to those sales being up to 12¢/kg dearer, while most others were 4¢ to 14¢ higher, as most heifers attracted rates between 100¢ and 140¢/kg. Yearling steers fluctuated between 9¢ easier to feeders; up to 17¢ dearer to the trade and processors as most sales ranged between 115¢ and 149¢/kg. Yearling heifers sold at rates 3¢ to 7¢ either side of unchanged due to the varying quality offered, with the trade sourcing the largest percentage, as most sales ranged between 100¢ and 129¢/kg.
Grown steers attracted a weaker trend as most sales fell by 2¢ to 8¢, with the upper limit being around 140¢, as carcase weight prices fell into a 225¢ to 250¢/kg cwt price range. Cow prices were harder to follow with light 1 and 2 scores some 14¢ dearer, medium weights 8¢ dearer to 7¢ easier, and heavyweights mostly 1¢ to 3¢ easier with most sales between 50¢ and 100¢, and isolated sales at SA LE reaching 120¢/kg.
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