Breeding stock numbers jump

NSW was the biggest contributor to the market, more than doubling its offering to 9254 head to account for 56pc of the overall head listed. NSW was also the largest purchaser, even with a 6pc drop in purchases. Queensland buyers were again active, buying 50pc more stock than the previous week.

It was another quiet week for processors, taking less than 2pc of stock offered.

Steer prices were mixed with the 200-280kg category losing $20 on the previous week and the values in 280-330 and 330-400kg categories rising $10 and $54 respectively.

The 0-200kg and 400kg+ categories recorded no change with limited numbers offered.

Steers 200-280kg more than doubled in offering to 2387 head and averaged $1003 - down $20 for a 62pc clearance. Prices ranged from 247 - 454c and averaged 396c/kg lwt.

From Maclagan, a line of 30 Charbray steers aged six to eight months and weighing 240kg returned $1090, or 454c/kg lwt and will travel to a buyer in Mount Emlyn.

Steers 280-330kg jumped 85pc to 2387 head and averaged $1163 - up $10 for a 46pc clearance. Prices ranged from 326 - 429c and averaged 381c/kg lwt.

From Walcha, NSW, a line of 250 Angus steers aged nine to 10 months and weighing 305kg returned $1310, or 429c/kg lwt and will remain locally.

A healthy price rise for heifers 330-400kg was the highlight for females last week. A 37pc larger offering of 719 head saw an average of $1220 - up $141. Clearance was a strong 87pc with prices ranging from 306 - 366c and averaged 336c/kg lwt.

From Holbrook, NSW, a line of 85 Angus heifers aged 18 to 20 months and weighing 339kg returned $1240, or 366c/kg lwt and will travel to a buyer in Albury, NSW.

Heifers 200-280kg doubled its offering to 1899 head but prices dropped $54 to average $752, with clearance a mixed 51pc. Prices ranged from 204 - 355c and averaged 303c/kg lwt.

From Bombala, NSW, a line of 72 Angus heifers aged six to eight months and weighing 273kg returned $970, or 355c/kg lwt and will travel to a buyer in Cooma, NSW.

Breeding stock came onto the platform in big numbers compared to previous weeks. There was a five-fold increase in station mated heifers, a quadrupling in SM cows and calves and an eight-fold increase in SM heifers and calves. Across those categories, however, clearance was a disappointing 30pc.

The bigger lines of breeding stock were in pregnancy tested in-calf heifers and PTIC cows, which saw 1127 head and 1772 head respectively.

PTIC heifers averaged $1776 - up $130 but achieved just 33pc clearance.

PTIC cows averaged $1876 - up $70 for a 43pc clearance.

SM cows enjoyed a $1034 price gain to average $2206, although clearance was just 25pc.

Sheep and lamb listings jumped 37pc to 54,396 in the first full week back after Easter. The increased throughput met with price increases - including a 103 cents a kilogram bump to 565c/kg for the AuctionsPlus restocker indicator ARLI and a 2pc increase to $125 for the crossbred lamb indicator.

There was an 8pc fall in the clearance rate to 63pc.

Lambs made up a significant portion of the increased yarding, with crossbred lambs and Merino wether lambs making up the bulk of the offering.

In the ewe categories SM first-cross ewes were a standout with a 1144pc increase in throughput and a $19 increase in price, with a 51pc clearance rate.

SM shedding breed ewes and scanned in-lamb composite/other breed ewes fetched an average fall in price of $39 and clearance of 25pc and $25 with a 100pc clearance respectively.

Listings were up in all states including Tasmania, which re-entered the market with 320 head offered. SA more than doubled its offering to 9189 head and NSW had the highest numbers, offering more than 30,000 head. NSW buyers, on the back of rain in the past two weeks, purchased more than 20,000 head last week. Buyer activity in Queensland slumped to just 900 head, down 2730. WA buyers stepped back into the market to take a healthy 670 head for the week.

Processors were not active in the online market for the third week in a row.

For crossbred lambs, 10,857 head was offered, up 62pc from the previous week, with a $3 jump in the price to average $125. From Condah, VIC, a line of 380 Poll Dorset/Border Leicester/Merino mixed sex Aug/Sep '23 lambs weighing 46kg lwt returned $152, or 328c/kg and will travel to a buyer in Melton, VIC.

There were 12,850 Merino wether lambs offered, a 63pc increase from the week prior, but the price remained unchanged.

From Hay, NSW, a line of 625 poll Merino wether lambs Jun/Jul '23, and weighing 40kg lwt, returned $107, or 268c/kg and will travel to a buyer in Deniliquin, NSW.

There were 1152 SIL composite/other breed ewes offered, down 62pc. Prices were also down by $25 to record an average price of $130, however the clearance rate was 100pc.