NUMBERS at Roma Prime decreased eight per cent to 503 head, with the full panel of export processors competing to lift prices by NLRS record margins.
Grown steers and bullocks lifted between 42c and 47c week-on-week, with C4 bullocks making between 208c and 238c to average 231c. Grown heifers followed a similar trend, with medium D3 lines lifting 41c to average 209c and made to a top of 225c.
Cows were the feature of the market, with most lines improving around 50c on the previous week. Heavy D4 cows averaged 219c, up 49c, and made to a top of 225c/kg.
Consignments to Dubbo increased 76pc to 3100 head. Quality was good with runs of prime conditioned cattle throughout and lines of well-bred young cattle in forward store condition. Restockers and feeder buyers were very active on yearlings, with heavy C3 steers onto feed improving 13c to average 253c. The heifer portion sold firm to dearer, with heavy C3 lines to feeder buyers increasing 6c to average 237c. Heavy C4 grown steers to slaughter averaged 235c, up 19c week-on-week, and heavy D4 cows averaged 212c, up 20c, and made to 225c.
Yardings at Bairnsdale doubled to 1219 head and, while quality was mostly good throughout, price trends were mixed. Heavy C3 yearling steers to the trade eased 3c, averaging 217c, while heavy D3 yearling heifers to slaughter improved 15c, averaging 206c and making to 216c.
Grown steer and bullock numbers returned after the past week’s smaller yarding. Heavy D3 grown steers to slaughter eased 6c, averaging 215c, while D3 bullocks improved 6c, averaging 207c. Heavy D2 manufacturing dairy steers were up 3c, averaging 186c, and heavy D4 cows trended 12c dearer, averaging 181c.
At the close of Thursday’s market, the Eastern Young Cattle Indicator (EYCI) gained 3c, to settle at 442.25c/kg cwt. Trade steers improved 2c, averaging 237c, while medium steers were up 4c, averaging 214c. Feeder steers trended 1c dearer, averaging 239c, and heavy steers improved 4c, averaging 229c. Medium cows averaged 196c, up 2c.
