Echuca Cattle Report

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Report Date: 12th March 2025

Total Yarding: 1,032

Commentary

Numbers eased again down to 1032 cattle, most of the drop in the export section with less cows and manufacturing steers penned. There was a lot of younger steers and heifers in this yarding, the bulk needing further backgrounding and finishing. Genuine prime slaughter animals remained in limited supply. The market did recover some of last week’s losses, the stand-out being heifers which lifted by 10c to 30c/kg. And it was noticable that domestic processors were keener on heifers as they offered some of the better finish amid a lot of plain conditioned cattle being sold. Cow prices improved 10c to 15c, with grown steers matching this rise on limited sales. Most other cattle classes sold 5c to 10c either side of last week.

Domestic competition was strong, the pick of the vealers and fed yearlings 390c to a top of 428c for a milk steer that weighed 375kg. After this most handy trade cattle 340c to 385c/kg. Noting the lift for heifers, the 330-400kg yearling heifers with shape averaged 370c/kg, while the good quality 400-480kg pens averaged 375c/kg. Well bred feeder and store calves mostly 320c to 370c/kg. Plainer and off bred calves including grassy heifers still trended in a range of 240c to 310c. The most secondary crossbred calves lacking weight and shape sold below 200c/kg at times.

In the export run beef cows with reasonable fat cover 265c to 296c/kg, plainer cows 220c to 260c/kg. Grown steers weighing over 600kg sold from 330 to 378c, while the neat 500-600kg beef steers made 360c to 397c/kg.

Market reporter: Jenny Kelly