Industry News

Feedlots continued to drive the young cattle market during early September, with considerably more cattle being purchased year-on-year. Despite national young cattle numbers for the first half of September tightening 12% year-on-year, feeder buyers secured 34% of the national yearling cattle offered. Feedlots captured 36% more yearling steers and 25% more heifers compared with the corresponding period last year. However, offsetting the increased yearling purchases was a decline in vealer numbers going to feedlots, with vealer steers and heifers back 6% and 7%, respectively. While grown steer numbers purchased by feeders held firm on the same period last year, total yardings were back 23%. Despite the A$ rising throughout the month and export demand remaining sluggish, the feedlot sector increased purchases. A major boost for the feedlot sector, however, has been the cheap cost of grain in the market compared with last year.

Source: MLA NLRS

National lamb supply at MLA’s NLRS reported markets increased 19% on last week and 15% on the same time last year. This rise was due to a 3% increase in the number of young lambs yarded and the warm, dry conditions experienced in key lamb producing regions during the week. Numbers are anticipated to continue rising if it remains dry over coming weeks. The warm seasonal conditions have also made some producers nervous about feed availability going forward, and as a result, some producers have opted to offload early. NSW lamb supply rose 10% on last week as warm and windy conditions across the state encouraged lambs onto the market. Lamb supply in Victoria increased 50% on last week, as many carry-over lambs were turned off before they cut their teeth. There were around 21,000 young lambs offered at Bendigo, however, numbers are anticipated to rise further in coming weeks as split sales commence on 5 October. Warm and windy conditions in SA, particularly in the northern agricultural districts, contributed to a 64% rise in lamb yardings on last week. Many of the lambs yarded lacked finish due to these conditions. Lamb numbers in WA decreased 15% on last week, with small numbers yarded at Katanning. The favorable seasonal conditions across the south west corner of the state contributed to lower yardings as producers concentrate on cropping operations

Source: MLA NLRS

Most of the pens were full at this month’s Narromine store sheep sale. This represented the largest yarding since March this year. There were some outstanding lines of crossbred ewes along with good numbers of top quality Merino ewes. There were, however, no wethers penned. There was a very good crowd on hand, mostly keen to buy with particularly strong support from southern and central Tableland buyers. Buyers attended from Wellington, Balaklava, Crookwell, Gundagai, Ballarat, Cootamundra, Cowra, Forbes, Geelong, Trangie, Inverell, Gilgandra, Coonamble, Bendigo and Wangaratta. There was also good support from local and southern processors. The crossbred ewe market was strong. The best of the crossbred ewes were a line of August to September 2008 drops, July shorn which sold for $160/head. Two other lines from the same consignment sold for $150 and $156/head. The balance of the crossbred ewe lambs sold from $90 to $144, with the majority of the better grades selling between $130 and $145/head. The best of the Merino ewes were dearer; the plain quality lots, however, appeared affordable. The April to May 2007 drops, August shorn and non-station mated (NSM) ewes sold for $108/head. The other top quality young Merino ewes sold from $80 to $107/head. Plain grades lacking size sold from $51 to $70/head. The best of the older ewes, which were a line of April to May 2006 drops, August shorn and NSM (non station mated) sold for $111/ head. The balance of the better mixed aged and older Merino ewes sold from $81 to $95/ head. The processors paid between $46 to $62/head for a number of lines of older ewes. The demand for store lambs remained very strong, with the best topping at $71/head. The balance of the sale sold between $44 to $70/head.

Source: MLA NLRS

To be held in Inverell 22/23/ July 2009.Link attatched to download registration

Source: SOA /Inverell Shire

Rainfall activity across western NSW has been very sporadic and consequently, so has turnoff activity. Producers receiving rain have been able to fatten cattle, while those that have missed out have been forced to liquidate their stock, generally in store condition. The more recent storms, particularly in the Forbes area, have resulted in good pasture growth, with lucerne and native pastures recovering from the earlier hotter weather. This extra growth has allowed producers to delay turnoff to ensure stock are sold in prime condition. The extra pasture growth and storms have resulted in some increased competition from restockers who now have extra grasses available to finish stock. Cattle numbers have been sporadic but have started to decline in the last few weeks. Quality has been fairly steady over the past few months with good numbers of yearlings and cows available, as well as grown steers and bullocks. In more recent weeks there have been more vealers available, with restockers particularly active on the store condition lightweights. Producers outside the Forbes area are still experiencing dry conditions and producers are offloading more store conditioned stock, particularly older cows and yearlings. Prices fell earlier in the year, though they have stabilised over the last month. Lamb numbers have been variable with quality declining as producers take advantage of the good prices. The number of well finished trade and heavyweight lambs has declined, while there have been more light and store conditioned lambs. Restockers have been active on these lightweight lines, providing competition against feeders and processors. Mutton numbers have remained constant with prices being fairly steady and even increasing slightly. Quality has been consistent with large lines of heavy Merino and crossbred ewes available. Griffith continues to miss out on crucial rainfall and producers are still reducing numbers. There have been a reduced number of well finished heavy lambs available and prices have stayed strong as processors compete for the better quality lambs. Mutton quality has been variable as producers offload numbers amid the continuing dry conditions.

Source: MLA NLRs

Lamb slaughter during March in NSW, SA and Victoria climbed 15% compared to March last year, to 1,299,342 head. Strong saleyard and over-the-hooks (OTH) rates have encouraged lamb sales as buyers compete fiercely for supply in anticipation of a shortfall in coming months. With the dry start to autumn in southern regions, and little confidence in an autumn break, producers have been offloading stock amid such intense demand that the higher supply has not lowered prices. Due to Easter falling in March last year, slaughter levels during March this year were higher, as there were more slaughter days. Average weekly SA lamb slaughter during the month increased 28% year-on-year, while OTH prices averaged 24% higher at 421¢/kg cwt. Similarly, Victorian slaughter lifted 10% year-on-year, with OTH lamb prices averaging 420¢/kg, up 21% year-on-year. The number of heavy lambs (20-22 kg cwt) purchased through the yards by processors in Victoria during the month lifted 4% year-on-year. Average weekly lamb slaughter during March lifted 15% year-on-year in NSW, while OTH prices averaged 24% higher, at 430¢/kg cwt. The majority of slaughter lambs at NSW physical markets during the month were lightweight trade lambs.

Source: MLA

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