QLD cattle kill slows, prices lift
Adult cattle slaughter in Queensland continued to slow last week, with 85,000 head processed across the state – back 1% week-on-week and 1% below year-ago levels. However, the weekly kill still has some way to contract before returning to more normal levels, with the five-year August average closer to 74,000 head.
Slaughter was tempered by some rain across the south-east of the state but, more generally, finished cattle are continually becoming harder to source, particularly south of the border.
Subsequently, the over-the-hook price indicators lifted. In Queensland:
- Trade steers (240-260kg cwt, A-C) improved 12¢, averaging 512¢/kg cwt
- MSA trade steers (240-260kg cwt, A-C) increased 2¢, to average 551¢/kg cwt
- Heavy steers (300-400kg cwt, A-C) improved 13¢, averaging 519¢/kg cwt
- Medium cows (260-280kg cwt, A-E) gained 9¢, to average 474¢/kg cwt
- 100-day grainfed steers (300-320kg cwt, A-C) climbed 4¢, averaging 540¢/kg cwt
Direct-to-works prices were resilient throughout the eastern states despite Australia’s impending full utilisation of the US tariff free import quota.
Most of the southern states also recorded a contraction in slaughter:
- NSW processed nearly 33,000 head, back 1% week-on-week and 17% below year-ago levels
- Victoria killed just over 24,000 head, back 2% on last week and back 22% year-on-year
- Cattle slaughter in Tasmania declined 6% on last week and was 3% below year-ago levels, at almost 4,000 head
- SA defied the trend, processing just over 10,000 head, up 6% week-on-week and 21% above year-ago levels
