April saw a lift in cattle prices across the board in the eastern states store and weaner sales with agents quoting an increase in prices of 30-40c/kg or $100/head from March in some yardings.
Buyer confidence was fuelled by early rainfall with restockers and backgrounders with winter crops in the ground competing with feedlot buyers for quality cattle in the south.
The increase in producer confidence also saw a bounce back in prices on AuctionsPlus.
Heavy Hereford steers 350-490kg sold from 374c/kg to 397c/kg averaging $1655 per head, selling to a top of $1840.
Yearling Hereford steers 377-386kg sold from 357c/kg to 451c/kg averaging $1540 per head with a top price of $1700.
Yearling Hereford steers 282-331kg sold from 344c/kg to 459c/kg with an average $/head value of $1240 and a top price of $1520.
Heavy Hereford weaner steers 353-406kg sold from 332c/kg to 442c/kg averaging $1442 per head selling to a top of $1780.
Weaner steers 295-336kg sold from 369c/kg to 422c/kg with an average of $1230 per head and a top of $1400.
Light weaner steers between 210kg and 262kg made between 382c/kg and 400c/kg averaging $973 per head with a top price of $1008.
Agents operating in the southern NSW weaner sales quoted a premium of between $50 and $100 per head for weaned calves over their unweaned counterparts.
In the female lots unjoined Hereford heifers 300-440kg sold from 295c/kg to 425c/kg averaging $1237 and selling to a top of $1400.
There were only a couple of lots of weaner heifers 250-300kg which sold from 300c/kg to 323c/kg and averaged $849 per head with a top price of $897.
A limited number of PTIC and station mated heifers were offered and sold between $1400 and $2000 averaging $1707 per head.
Unjoined Hereford heifers and calves made between $1900 and $2175 and a single lot of unjoined cows and calves sold on AuctionsPlus for $1600.
PTIC Hereford cows sold for between $1600 and $2050 and averaged $1703 per head.
A notable sale result was a lot of station mated heifers and calves offered by Mannus Valley Livestock on AuctionsPlus selling for $3000 per head. No other Hereford lots were offered in this category this month.
A lot of 84 weaner steers averaging 406kg offered by Western District Pastoral Co sold for 438c/kg or $1780 per head on AuctionsPlus. (Photo courtesy of AuctionsPlus.)
A lot of 44 yearling steers averaging 386kg offered by Roscommon P/S sold for 357c/kg or $1380 per head on AuctionsPlus. (Photo courtesy of AuctionsPlus)
A lot of 18 PTIC heifers offered by Vera Vale Park sold for $2000 per head on AuctionsPLus. (Photo courtesy of AuctionsPlus.)
