WA weekly cattle summary

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Cattle supply tightens

Moderate rainfall was received across most of WA agricultural areas this week. Local cattle supplies at all southern trade sales decreased again with small numbers yarded. Boyanup held a store sale with both feeder and dairy young cattle available.

• Muchea cattle numbers lifted about 30% with increased pastoral supplies.

Quality remained mixed at all sales with pastoral quality not improving with many plain drafts offered. Trade young cattle numbers were again limited. Competition on feeder cattle continued at strong levels with strong feeder and live export activity across all young categories.

• Prices for young local cattle remained firm to marginally dearer on steer drafts but quality of young heifers saw these continue to ease, particularly the pastoral drafts.
• Cow and bull sales to processors remained solid with prices for the better quality drafts dearer.
• Bulls suitable for the live export trade lacked quality and prices were easier again.

Prices remain strong

• Trade cattle prices eased on last week with quality slipping. Both heifer and steer drafts averaged close to 290¢/kg
• Grown steer drafts remained firm with prices from 200¢ to 297¢, with better export weight pastoral drafts between 220¢ and 274¢/kg
• Grown heifers sold between 170¢ and 230c, back 10¢/kg. 
• Store steer prices were again very strong with local steers between 270¢ and 340¢/kg
• Pastoral steers made 216¢ to 307¢/kg
• Local heifers were easier at both markets with most sales between 230¢ and 270¢/kg
• Pastoral heifer prices continued to ease with most making between 150¢ to 244¢/kg 
• Cow prices were mixed with the lighter weight and conditioned drafts easing another 10¢ to 15¢ and selling between 100¢ and 155¢/kg
• Medium weight D2 cows also eased close to 15¢, selling between 140¢ and 195¢/kg
• D3 and D4 cows including the heavy weight drafts made 180¢ to 217¢, to be back 15¢/kg
• Bull sales to processors were 5¢ easier with prices between 180¢ and 240¢/kg.
• Young and lighter weight bulls suitable for live export fell 20¢ to 30¢, with plain quality seeing prices slip to be between 190¢ and 316¢/kg. 

Note: All yardings and prices referenced from MLA’s National Livestock Reporting Service (NLRS) reported saleyards.