CATTLE
A shortened week leading into Easter meant AuctionsPlus cattle offerings fell to just 3773 head last week.
Clearance was 64 per cent, down from a final clearance the previous week of 72pc. Value over reserve jumped to $172 compared to the previous week's $76 and benchmark steers 280-330kg fell $59 to $1129.
Steers
The highest offerings were in the steer categories of 200-280kg and 280-330kg.
Steers in the 200-28kg numbered 415 and saw a 66pc clearance for a $3 price rise.
From Wallangra, NSW, a line of 129 Angus/Brahman steers aged eight to 12 months and weighing 272kg returned $980, or 360c/kg lwt and will travel to a buyer in Charleville.
The next largest category was steers 280-330kg which saw a $45 per head drop for a 83pc clearance on 301 head.
From Bethungra, NSW, a line of 90 Angus steers aged seven to eight months and weighing 282kg returned $1210, or 428c/kg lwt and will travel to a buyer in Dirranbandi.
Heifers
Just 677 heifers were listed last week. Sub 200kg and 330-400kg heifers were the main articles on offer but showed very different clearances.
In the under 200kg range, prices averaged $572 - up $57 for a 100pc clearance across the 226 head.
From Bathurst, NSW, a line of 104 Angus heifers aged eight to nine months and weighing 199.9kg returned $760, or 380c/kg lwt and will travel to a buyer in Wagga Wagga, NSW.
Heifers 330-400kg averaged $950 - down $97 for a 25pc clearance on the 212 head.
From Tenterfield, NSW, a line of 82 Angus/Charbray heifers aged 14 to 24 months and weighing 349kg returned $990, or 283c/kg lwt and will travel to a buyer in Meandarra.
Breeding stock
Breeding stock was the most listed category last week with 3773 head.
Pregnancy tested in-calf heifers enjoyed a $451 lift in average price per head on the 534 offered for a 59pc clearance.
From Armidale, NSW, a line of 35 Santa Gertrudis heifers aged 18 to 28 months and weighing 440kg returned $2120, or 482c/kg lwt and will travel to a buyer in Rushes Creek, NSW.
PTIC cows registered a smaller offering of 284 head and averaged $1640 - up $262 for a 22pc clearance. Prices ranged from 307 to 319c and averaged 313c/kg lwt.
From Wantabadgery, NSW, a line of 13 Angus/Angus cows aged six years old and weighing 804kg returned $2020, or 251c/kg lwt and will travel to a buyer in Wodonga, VIC.
SHEEP
Sheep and lamb listings fell 13pc to 51,497 head last week and was met with a 75c/kg rise to the AuctionsPlus restocker indicator known as ARLI which is now sitting at 633c/kg. There was a 9pc jump in the clearance rate to 59pc, however value over reserve rose by $5 to average $11 across all listings.
Shedding breed lambs lifted an average of $47, while minor falls were recorded in the Merino wether lambs and composite/other breed lambs.
The biggest gains in the ewe categories were $35 for station-mated shedding bred ewes and $31 for shedding breed ewes, lifting to $176 and $129 respectively. The biggest loser in the category was scanned in-lamb composite/other breed ewes, which fell $49 to $109.
Listings were steady in Queensland and NSW, but dropped 2461 to 8867 in Victoria and fell 3314 to 7439 in South Australia. NSW and Vic buyers both purchased an additional 2400-odd sheep and lambs this week, but SA dropped its purchases by more than half, less 3037 to only buy 2392 head. WA, NT, ACT and Tas all dropped off the map for listings and purchases last week.
Processors did not purchase any sheep or lambs on AuctionsPlus last week, after purchases had been declining in recent weeks. This comes as MLA reported that the combined sheep and lamb slaughter surged week-on-week to reach 687,772 head, making it the largest weekly total on record. Notably, Victoria recorded its highest individual slaughter numbers. Lamb slaughter reached 506,443, surpassing the half-million mark for the first time.
Crossbred lambs registered a 24pc bigger offering in head, with prices rising again, this time $13 to average $128 for a 91pc clearance.
From Crookwell, NSW, a line of 475 Poll Dorset/Border Leicester/Merino mixed sex July 2022 store lambs weighing 48kg lwt returned $157, or 324c/kg and will travel to a buyer in Griffith, NSW.
The 2236 Merino wether lambs offered was a 75pc decrease on the previous week's auction. Prices responded to the decreased supply with a $9 decrease and a 78pc clearance rate.
From Forbes, NSW, a line of 180 Merino wethers May 2023 drop and weighing an average of 42.7kg lwt returned $96, or 222c/kg and will travel to a buyer also from Forbes.
4060 SIL shedding breed ewes were offered, up 373pc. Prices were up by $1 to record an average price of $141, however the clearance rate was just 31pc.
