By Tim Delany, MLA

Cattle: LWB 13 – LWY 836 – LWC 362 – OAY 30                 

Naracoorte agents yarded 1,240 cattle as the season continues to become dryer at the later stages of Spring. The offering was mainly good made up of excellent grown cattle, well presented yearlings, heavy beef cows and grown bulls. A slightly smaller number of buyers attended with the bidding steady in places as feeders and restockers staying active throughout the sale. There were a few fluctuations in the trade section of the market as the grown and yearling cattle sold mostly from unchanged to 10c/kg dearer on average. Heavy cows remained firm, a few heifer sales were 3c to 7c easier and the smaller number of plainer cattle sold 5c to 15c cheaper. The sale consisted of 355 steers, 473 heifers, 362 cows, 21 bulls and 29 head were open auction.

Good Vealers to the trade sold from 195c to 235c/kg. Prime yearling steers sold from 190c to 214c with the heifer yearling portion making 155c to 215c/kg. Yearling steers going to both feeders and restockers sold from 150c to 210c and the yearling heifers realised 142c to 185c/kg.

The larger penning of good grown steers made from 170c to 218c and feeders were busy paying between 175c to 219c/kg. Well covered grown heifers sold from 150c to 205c/kg. Heavy cows made from 163c to 186c and the leaner medium weights sold from 120c to 159c/kg. Grown bulls made 170c to 192c as they sold firm to 5c/kg dearer.

Lambs: Lambs 28,109

Naracoorte agents penned approximately 28,073 lambs which represented an increase of 401 head. Quality dropped slightly with less heavy lambs and a mixed selection of trade weights that ranged from good to plain with some of the lambs showing the signs of the dry Spring season. There was again a large portion of close to 17,000 light trade and store young lambs for feeders, processors and restockers. A slightly smaller buying group with not all operating fully as the local district restockers competed with processors at times for the lighter lambs. Prices overall were subdued with prices for the trade and heavy lambs mostly $9 to $16 cheaper with a few isolated sales back further. Light lambs sold mainly from $3 to $10/head easier with a drop in quality also a factor throughout the market. The restockers purchased light lambs weighing 12kg cwt and under from $1 to $33, the bulk store lambs made between $23 to $66 with the well bred young lambs selling from $50 to $86/head. A few pens of Merino lambs made $14 to $35/head.

Light new season lambs to the processors mostly sold from $22 to $63/head. Light trade weight lambs made from $50 to $74/head with their averages ranging from 335c to 385c/kg cwt. Secondary medium trade weight new season lambs sold from mostly $64 to $80 and the good quality pens made $72 to $98/head. Heavier trade weight lambs were from $88 to $110/head. Heavy lambs sold from $103 to $122 and the fewer pens of export and extra heavy lambs made from $120 to the market top of $140/head. Prices did vary depending on their quality and demand during the market from an estimated 380c to 460c/kg cwt. Old lambs sold to $105, the best rams lambs made $50 to $85 and hoggets sold to $34/head.

Selling Order:

Naracoorte 1st X Ewe Lamb Sale – Thursday 16th November 12:30pm

1. TDC   2. Nutrien   3. SAL   4. Elders   5. PPHS

Naracoorte Fat Market – Tuesday 21st November 9:00am

1. Elders   2. SAL   3. Nutrien   4. PPHS