Store cattle prices continued to dip in the month of June with the Eastern Young Cattle Indicator (EYCI) falling to 556 cents by the end of the month, back 23 cents from the end of May and 457 cents lower than the same time last year.
However it’s not all bad news with parts of eastern Australia enjoying rain, restocker interest in quality weaner steers and heifers picked up toward the end of the month.
Some agents described the market as “volatile” with some yardings experiencing better than expected prices while others were weaker.
The Australian cattle herd is continuing to grow on the back of the post-drought rebuild with numbers expected to reach over 28 million by the end of the year, the highest level since 2014. This growth is expected to continue over the next three years reaching around 29.6 million head, the highest levels since the 1970s.
In the Hereford pens, heavy steers 373-628kg made between 294c/kg and 358c/kg to average $1528 per head, selling to a top of $2080.
Yearling Hereford steers 268-347kg fetched between 244c/kg and 359c/kg to average $991 per head and a top price of $1242.
Weaner steers 261-355kg sold from 314c/kg to 378c/kg with an average $/head price of $994 and a top of $1200.
The top c/kg and $/head price in this category was made by K & A McLauchlan of Valma Poll Herefords, Whitemore, Tasmania for a line of 10 steers aged 9-11 months sold on AuctionsPlus.
Light weaner steers 133-276kg made between 228c/kg and 434c/kg and averaged $730 per head with a top price of $1100.
The top price in both c/kg and $/head in this category was paid for a lot of 13 weaned steers, 9-10 months, offered by BFT, Mullengandra NSW on AuctionsPlus.
In the female lines, unjoined Hereford heifers 276-518kg sold from 221c/kg to 309c/kg to average $936 per head and fetched a top price of $1310 which was paid for a pen of Wirruna and Ravensdale blood heifers sold at Wodonga by Leslie Farms.
Weaner heifers 213-374kg made between 200c/kg and 310c/kg and averaged $663 per head with a top price of $840.
PTIC heifers sold between $1100 and $1910 per head and averaged $1445, with the top price paid for 12 Poll Hereford heifers, PTIC to a Quamby Plains bull, sold on AuctionsPlus by Tullochgorum Estate, Fingal Tasmania.
PTIC cows made between $1000 and $1700 to average $1460, the top price was paid for a lot of Wirruna blood cows, PTIC to Wirruna bulls offered by John Blight & Co, Willbriggie NSW as part of a draft of 113 females sold on AuctionsPlus this month.
A limited number of Hereford cows and calves were offered this month and sold for between $1670 and $1980 per head, averaging $1803.
The top priced PTIC Hereford heifers were PTIC to a Quamby Plains bull, sold on AuctionsPlus by Tullochgorum Estate, Fingal Tasmania for $1910 per head. (Photo: AuctionsPlus)
Okeview Pastoral, Collector NSW, sold 144 yard weaned steers, 261kg, Sep/Oct 2022 drop, Cascade, Bowen and Tycolah blood, for 326c/kg or $850. (Photo: AuctionsPlus)
Daryl Bjorksten, Beralga Herefords sold 97 grass fed feeder steers, 473kg,16-18mo for 330c/kg or $1560. (Photo: AuctionsPlus)
John Blight & Co, Willbriggie NSW, sold 113 Wirruna blood cows PTIC to Wirruna bulls to calve late July for $1700/head. (Photo: AuctionsPlus)
BFT, Mullengandra NSW sold 13 weaned steers, 253kg, 9-10mo for 434c/kg or $1100. (Photo: AuctionsPlus)
