QUALITY lines of local cattle were rewarded with a slight kick in the market at the Roma store sale on Tuesday, but the outlook for coming weeks still remains bleak.
A total of 5500 head were booked into the weekly sale with agents reporting a stronger showing of quality cattle in the yarding.
MAA Livestock agent Duncan McLeod said quality cattle had been paid well, with the market overall following a firm to dearer trend.
But, he said, rain was needed to bring confidence back into the market.
“I think we might see the numbers decrease and increase, it’s a week on week proposition at the moment,” he said.
“The trend doesn’t look to be strong for numbers coming forward.
“Fatteners and backgrounders were again strong, with a little bit of feeder activity for suitable type cattle. Probably some of the better runs were local weaners, they were certainly weighing well.”
Among the vendors on the day were Jim Ford and Dookie Bradley, Edenhope, Roma, who offered Angus cross steers.
The pair sold 96 weaner steers averaging 273c/kg at 324kg to return $886/hd, about 8c/kg up on the same weight range at last week’s sale.
But it was still a stark contract to their 2018 weaner turn off at the May 30 sale when their Angus steers weighing 265kg made 392c/kg to return $1039/hd.
Their Roma store sale cattle would usually be put on oats, but they had none available this season.
Presentation and temperament wasn’t enough to attract a premium in the dismal market.
“It’s hard to see them go,” Ms Bradley said.
“We had them all trained and weaned and everything.”
“We were doing alright (price wise) and then for some reason they must have thought they paid too much and they painted a heap out there,” Mr Ford added.