MILLICENT CATTLE – OCTOBER 29

Agents yarded 708 live weight cattle at the Millicent Saleyards this week.

These sold to the usual buying field with one extra from a large supermarket chain.

Local farmers were also active bidders at an incredible sale that saw an average of $1910 per head over the 708 yarded.

Top quality grassfed cattle were offered and were a credit to all vendors.

Heavy steers ranged from 3.74c/kg to 4.20c/kg.

Vealer steers and heifers ranged from 3.60c/kg to 4.60c/kg with the higher being achieved on several occasions.

A small number of cows were again in demand and ranged from 2.82c/kg to 3.40c/kg, with bulls returning between 2.60c/kg and 2.90c/kg.

Next fortnight the Millicent Cattle Market will return to Thursdays, (November 12) starting at 9am.

MOUNT GAMBIER CATTLE – OCTOBER 28

Numbers climbed sharply as agents yarded 1143 head of live weight and open auction cattle.

These sold to a slightly smaller field of trade and processor buyers with both feeders and restockers active across the market.

Quality was a mixed this week with less of the prime heavy cattle while a larger number of vealers came forward as the market generally sold to an easier trend.

Vealer steers to the trade were of much better quality this week and these bucked the easier trend of the rest of the market to lift up to 7c as they ranged from 387c to 443c to the trade with similar heifers making from 360c to 446c/ kg.

Feeders were active on vealer steers selling from 390c to 430c and on heifers making from 375c to 415c as restockers sourced steers from 389c to 400c and heifers up to 408c/kg.

Yearling steers to the trade made from 374c to 403c to ease 6c as the yearling heifers also to the trade returned from 350c to 414c/kg.

Feeder orders operated on steers selling from 388c to 415c and on heifers making from 355c to 414c with restocker interest in steers up to 470c/kg.

Grown steers and bullocks lacked the finish of the previous week as they sold from 305c to 400c to be 15c to 18c cheaper in price as feeders operated here, selling from 362c to 420c/kg.

Grown heifers to the trade ranged from 343c to 382c with feeders active here selling from 320c to 406c as manufacturing steers made from 290c to 338c/ kg.

Heavy cows were up to 20c easier as they sold from 280c to 320c as both the trade and feeders sought lighter beef types, selling from 250c to 284c as a run of dairy cows made from 236c to 280c/kg.

Heavy bulls sold from 280c to 300c/kg.

MOUNT GAMBIER SHEEP – OCTOBER 28

Agents yarded the first of the new season lambs this week with 1795 lambs and 84 sheep coming forward for a total 1879 head overall.

The usual field of trade and processor buyers were present with a number of active restockers also seeking supply.

Quality was generally good as most lamb sales ranged from 720c to 770c/kg cwt.

Light lambs to the trade sold from $144 to $154, medium trade weights made from $164 to $178 and the heavy pens sold from $178 to $191/head.

Restockers purchased lambs to grow on from $144 to $154/ head.

Hoggets made from $148 to $174/head.

Light ewes sold to $90 with the heavier mutton making from $135 to $150/head.

NARACOORTE CATTLE – OCTOBER 27

Numbers fell away as agents yarded 1144 head of live weight and open auction cattle.

These sold to the usual large field of trade and processor buyers along with feeder and restocker support.

Quality on offer was mixed with something to suit all orders as the market again sold to a mainly dearer trend.

Vealer numbers were small as steers made from 410c to 440c with the heifers selling from 405c to 422c/kg.

Yearling steers to the trade made from 350c to 430c with similar heifers returning from 312c to 420c/kg.

Feeder orders sought steers from 330c to 432c as well as heifers from 323c to 420c/kg.

Restockers only purchased small numbers this week as they operated on steers from 364c to a high of 490c and on heifers from 386c to 410c/kg.

Some large weights were on offer in the grown steers and bullocks with the trade seeking supply from 362c to 405c with feeder activity selling from 378c to 406c/kg.

Grown heifers ranged from 320c to 400c to the trade with feeder support sold from 358c to 382c as manufacturing steers made from 297c to 352c/kg.

Heavy cows lifted 4c as they ranged from 284c to 323c while the lighter selection returned from 220c to 296c as feeders operated from 264c to 300c/kg.

Heavy bulls ranged from 250c to 290c as lighter types sold to 312c/kg.

NARACOORTE SHEEP – OCTOBER 27

Numbers rose but only by small amounts as agents yarded 17,485 lambs and 3035 sheep to total 20,520 head overall with an increase of nearly 2000 head on the week before.

These sold to another large field of trade and processor buyers with a large number of active restocker orders seeking lambs to turn out and grow on.

Quality was very good with weight and freshness in the skin in most pens with the presentation of the lambs being a credit to the vendors.

Buyers responded with strong competition all over the market with increases in price for both the sheep and lambs with the lambs lifting by $10 to $15/head.

Light lambs to the trade ranged from $65 to $149 with the lightweight trade 2 and 3 score selection returning from $144 to $161/head.

Restockers competed for supply as they purchased lambs from $90 to $157/ head.

Trade weight 3 score lambs made from $156 to $186/head as most lambs returned from 750c to 800c/ kg cwt.

Heavy lambs sold from $174 to $208 as the extra heavy types were making from $196 to the market high of $248/head.

Hoggets made from $110 to $186/head.

Light ewes sold from $126 to $146 as medium weighted ewes made from $150 to $195 with the heavy pens selling from $186 to the market high of $235/head.

Wethers sold from $152 to $230 as rams made from $67 to $138/head.