Mt Gambier Cattle Report

Numbers fell by almost half as agents yarded 570 head of liveweight and open auction cattle. These sold to another large group of buyers with the trade, feeders and restocker orders all being active. Quality fell away this week without the large weights of the previous as the first offering of vealers came forward in a mixed market for price.
Vealer steers sold well as they ranged from 492c to 533c as similar weighted heifers reached 528c with lighter types out to 562c/kg. Yearling steers attracted trade buyers this week from 486c to 532c and feeders to 440c/kg. Yearling heifers were mixed as the trade operated from 405c to 510c, a lift of up to 10c as feeder types fell 10c to sell from 382c to 485c/kg.
Grown steers and bullocks lacked the weight and finish of the previous week as the best of these sold close to last weeks rates but overall there was a fall of 10c to 15c to the trade as they sold from 462c to 503c as feeder types sold from 434c to 476c to drop up to 20c/kg.
Grown heifers sold to the trade from 436c to 495c to rise up to 15c as manufacturing steers lost 8c to sell from 375c to 428c/kg.
Heavy cows returned from 394c to 430c to be from firm to 3c/kg better as lighter lots made from 335c to 370c as bulls ranged from 432c to 480c to be 20c/kg better in price.
Market Reporter Peter Kerr