WA weekly cattle summary

27 January 2012

Mixed weather fortunes across WA

The far north again enjoyed good rain with a solid wet season being enjoyed. Further south a low has risen to cyclone status and is expected to cross the Pilbarra coast shortly and will bring further moisture to the area. Conditions in the southern districts though have been extreme with a record heat wave forecast for the next week with the majority of temperatures predicted to exceed forty degrees.

Feed and water conditions across the state remain buoyant and well in front of the same period last year. The Australia Day holiday mid-week caused the cancellation of one of the Great Southern’s sale with the vealer sale moved from the Thursday to the Friday, subsequently cancelling weekly trade sale.

Muchea’s numbers remained buoyant with a good mix of both pastoral and local cattle penned, while the southwest volumes were also reasonable. Overall numbers however were lower with the Great Southern sale failing to pen more than one thousand calves for the first time in several months.

The numbers of heavy weight steers and heifers remained limited at all sales, while trade weight yearling volumes were fair. Despite the reduction in the Great Southern vealer numbers the overall supplies of these continued at fair levels, while cow numbers remained plentiful.

Overall quality fluctuated throughout the classes. Processor competition remained buoyant from both local and export processors, while restocker and feeder demand continued at unchanged levels.

Processor demand maintained

The weight and quality of vealers remained solid. Despite a continued drop off in condition, which is usual at this time, there continued to be good numbers of heavy weights. This reflects the overall solid seasonal conditions this drop of vealers has enjoyed. Processor demand remained selective and predominately contained to for those carrying plenty of weight. Feeder demand continued to be buoyant but selective with most feedlots now at capacity. A number of feedlots are now beginning to sell the first drafts for the year. Restocker demand on the other hand was maintained at very solid levels throughout all categories. Trade weight yearling steer and heifer quality remained mixed. Processor demand on the other hand continued to be aggressive as local processors and retailers competed for supplies with the market fully firm to slightly dearer than the previous week. 

The tight supplies of both local and pastoral heavy grown steers and bullocks recorded firm processor demand that maintained recent price levels. This was also the case for grown heavy heifer categories. Processor demand for cows continued to be aggressive with little or no change recordedto in prices.

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