Echuca Cattle Report

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Report Date: 28th August 2024

Total Yarding: 2,000

Commentary

Another capacity yarding of 1900 head, made up of nearly 1000 export grades as more cows and older steers came in. The market was robust with a full field of buyers operating, and there was only modest price changes across the sale compared to a fortnight ago. The highlight was again cows with prices firm on the lead runs and gaining up to 15c/kg on the second drafts as processors chased more of the leaner and lower yielding types above 300c/kg. In the trade cattle prices generally tracked 5c to 10c either side of the averages of the previous market.

The export market continued to generate the most competition and price consistency from processors. Heavy beef cows mostly 310c to 338/kg lwt with just a few outstanding pens or young bodies higher to a top of 350c/kg. Some dried-off and fed Friesian cows with weight and fat cover to 310c/kg. The market improved over the second draft of cows with less weight and finish at 270c to 330c/kg and they averaged over 300c/kg in this sale. Plainest dairy and crossbred cow mostly 175c to 240c/kg. Prices for grown heifers generally firmed with some buyers putting these into their cow-beef at 305c to 365c/kg for most. Still only limited numbers of grown steers, the best beef bred to 384c/kg with most crossbred and dairy types from 310c to 360c/kg.

The trade cattle run did have a selective tone to it, the very best fed yearlings and vealers still keenly supported at 400c/kg plus but the market sometimes patchy at 360c to 390c/kg on steers that were just off the top. The best vealers sold to 436c/kg. The pick of the well muscled fed yearlings mostly 390c to 426c/kg. General run of grassy heifers fwith less yield and shape fluctuated from 280c to 360c/kg. There was less young store and feeder cattle in this market, most sales of the better bred types from 320c to 380c/kg and secondary types 200c to 280c/kg.

Market reporter: Jenny Kelly