Key points:
- NSW and Queensland have purchased larger than normal volumes of cattle at Victorian sales – encouraging signs for the continuation of the herd rebuild
- 4,100 weaners at Hamilton on Monday sold for an average price of 680c/kg lwt
- The weaner sales have acted as a lead indicator for the broader market, with the EYCI 7c softer than where it ended 2021, at 1,162c/kg cwt.
Every year, part of Victoria’s autumn calving cohort is offered across a range of sales dedicated to weaner cattle within their respective weight ranges.
Larger numbers are offered and sold across numerous selling centres of the state and parts of south-east SA as well. Following a strong season for most key southern cattle producing regions, these sales are now offering restocker-driven producers to purchase large, high quality lines to support their rebuilding intentions.
Anecdotally, northern NSW and southern Queensland buyers are dominating purchasing proceedings, buying a larger-than-normal majority of the weaners yarded. These are encouraging signs for the herd rebuild, particularly for Queensland, which hasn’t enjoyed the seasonal excellence its southern counterparts have experienced over the last two years.
Average prices have ranged, although at Hamilton on Monday, a penning of 4,100 head averaging 356kg sold for an average price of 680c/kg lwt. This sale is an example of the significant improvement the market has made in comparison to sales 12 months ago.
These sales could act as a lead indicator for what opening sales across the country may do and where the market could operate at. In line with where these weaner sales have been performing, on Wednesday, the EYCI reopened at 1,162c/kg cwt, only 7c/kg softer than where it ended 2021 on Thursday 16 December.
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