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WA weekly cattle summary
02 July 2015
Cattle supplies ease
Little rain occurred over the last week in WA with dry conditions predicted going forward. Cattle supplies eased further and pastoral heifer supplies again dominated the young cattle supply. Local and grown cattle numbers remained very limited at the major sales but direct-to-works deliveries have continued to improve. Quality remained mixed with pastoral drafts not reaching those seen last week at Muchea. Trade young cattle were very limited in number and mostly grain finished. Competition continued at strong levels and included improved live export activity across all young categories with prices firm to dearer on both steer and heifer drafts. Cow and bull sales to processors lifted with the numbers available barely adequate for smaller processors. Bulls suitable for the live export trade remained firm with both feeder and live exporter activity.
Prices remain strong
Prime trade cattle prices were firm to dearer with trade steers selling between 285¢ and 312¢ and trade heifers from 280¢ to 306¢/kg. Grown steer drafts made from 220¢ to 304¢, with the majority of pastoral drafts from 220¢ to 245¢/kg. Grown heifers sold between 160¢ and 295¢/kg and were marginally dearer.
Store steer prices were again very strong with local steers between 286¢ and 339¢/kg. Pastoral steers made 250¢ to 303¢/kg and were dearer again. Relatively small numbers of local heifers remained well supported in price at both Muchea and the southern markets with most sales between 260¢ and 306¢/kg. Large supplies of pastoral heifers at Muchea continued to sell at very strong prices between 220¢ and 288¢/kg for the majority.
Cow prices lifted with the lighter weight and conditioned drafts up to 10¢ dearer and heavy D3 and D4 cows and better medium weight cows lifted 10¢ to 20¢/kg. Light weight cow drafts sold from 100¢ to 188¢ with D2 drafts from 150¢ to 219¢/kg. Prime cows made 200¢ to 236¢/kg but were very limited in supply. Bull prices to processors lifted by close to 10¢ with most between 180¢ and 213¢/kg. Better young and lighter weight bulls suitable for live export remained firm with most prices between 220¢ and 332¢/kg, to be equal to last week.
Note: All yardings and prices referenced from MLA’s National Livestock Reporting Service (NLRS) reported saleyards.
