These three decks totalling 114 Droughtmaster steers 6-10 months averaging 220kg from Jericho, western QLD returned 441c/kg on Friday and will travel to a buyer near Rolleston, QLD.

LIGHTER steer and heifer categories fell in value, while medium and heavier weights produced mixed results in a smaller offering of 13,339 cattle on AuctionsPlus last week.

The smaller catalogue size did not stop a decline in clearance, which ended the week at 52pc.

Buyer demand remained selective, with stronger interest in heavier steers and breeding stock.

Listings increased across New South Wales and Tasmania this week, with NSW offering the largest portion at 7164 head. Other regular volume listing states experienced softening in numbers, with Queensland ending the week with 3525 head offered.

Interstate purchasing activity increased to 24pc, pointing to broader buyer engagement. New South Wales and Queensland were the greatest purchasing regions with plenty of movement occurring across northern NSW and south-east QLD.

In the steer market, steers 200-280kg provided the largest offering of 2400 head, clearing 71pc to average 424c/kg, down 18c on last week. A small offering of steers less than 200kg cleared 82pc, losing 82c to average 391c.

A line of 114 Droughtmaster steers(three decks)  6-10 months averaging 220kg from Jericho, western QLD returned 441c/kg and will travel to a buyer near Rolleston, QLD.

Mediumweight steers 280-330kgattracted 1880 entries, clearing 55pc tp average 395c, up 4c on the previous week. Heavier feeder steers +400kg procued an offering of only 540 head, clearing 52pc to average 391c, up 26c. Steers 330-400kg lost 18c to average 389c, clearing 84pc.

Among heifers, the volume of this week’s offerings weighed between 280kg and 400kg. The 330-400kg lines lifted 4c this week to average 338c, but cleared only 49pc of an offering of 1350.

Heifers 280-330kg lifted 4c to average 326c, with the offering of 1300 clearing 66pc.

Among larger lines of young cattle sold this week were 362 backgrounder steers 13-19 months from Longreach, Western Queensland. Two pens of second-cross Angus x Santas averaging 324kg made 376-379c/kg, while a line of 158 Santas from the same vendor, averaging 314kg, made 389c/kg.

Further south, 331 Angus heifers 14-17 months from Moonie, southern Queensland, sold from 346c/kg for a run of 72 averaging 370kg, back to 330c for a run of 100 averaging 282kg.

Breeding females

In the breeding female categories, the best results were seen for PTIC cows and heifers, up $44 and $112 respectively, to $1775 and $1713. Station-mated cows and calves also lifted in price, gaining $120 to average $1836/pair.

Fifteen Angus cows 3-4 years averaging 629kg from Tintinara, SA returned $2100/head, and will travel to a buyer near Penola, SA.

Fifteen Angus heifers 8-9 months averaging 316kg from Robertson, NSW returned 396c/kg and will travel to a buyer near Moss Vale, NSW.

Source: AuctionsPlus