Australia-This weeks Cattle markets.

Friday’s livestock summary

13/03/2009

Numbers increased at Armidale and overall quality was good. The medium and heavyweight vealer steers to restockers sold to a dearer trend, up 8¢ to 13¢/kg. Light and medium weight yearling steers sold 7¢ to 20¢ dearer while heavyweights to feed were firm to 5¢/kg dearer. Heavyweight grown steers finished firm to 3¢/kg dearer. Heavyweight cows sold firm to 3¢/kg dearer.

Fewer cattle were yarded and quality remained mixed at Dubbo. Medium weight vealer steers to restockers sold to 203¢/kg. Yearling steers to feeders and heifers to the trade remained firm. Heavyweight grown steers to slaughter sold firm to 3¢ dearer to reach 174¢/kg. Medium weight cows gained 3¢/kg, while the heavyweights remained firm.

The yarding at Bairnsdale slipped however quality was quite good. Vealer steers to slaughter ranged from 190¢ to 222¢/kg. The C muscle yearling steers made 156¢ to 162¢ and heifers averaged 151¢/kg. Medium weight grown steers made 150¢ to 155¢ and heavyweights averaged 152¢/kg. Heavyweight cows made 118¢ to 132¢, averaging 128¢/kg.

At the completion of Thursday’s markets the Eastern Young Cattle Indicator (EYCI) improved 5.25¢ on last week to settle at 318¢/kg cwt. Both the trade steer and feeder steer indicators lifted 2¢ – to 169¢ and 166¢/kg respectively. Japan ox improved 4¢ – to 168¢ and US cows finished 3¢ dearer at 126¢/kg.

At Wagga there was a slight increase in numbers and quality was plain. Trade lambs were firm to $3 dearer at the commencement of the market, however as the sale proceeded rates lifted $4 to $7/head. The majority of the trade lambs averaged from 411¢ to 438¢/kg cwt. Heavy lambs were $5 to $7/head dearer with most averaging 471¢ to 485¢/kg cwt. Heavy mutton met strong competition as rates lifted $12 to $14/head.

At the conclusion of Thursday’s markets, the eastern states sheep and lamb indicators experienced a mixed trend. Restocking lambs gained 2¢ from last week to 395¢ while Merino lambs were 5¢ cheaper, settling at 336¢/kg cwt. Light lambs fell 11¢ to finish at 364¢/kg cwt. Trade lambs gained 7¢ to 423¢ while heavy lambs lifted 3¢/kg cwt. Mutton was 3¢ higher to settle at 201¢/kg cwt.