Good lines set for store sales

AFTER an early finish at Powranna on Tuesday, I took the opportunity to take a drive back through the Cressy, Bracknell, Bishopsbourne and Longford areas to have a good look at the country side.

For the first day of spring I thought the country looked very good with good colour in the grass. Admittedly a lot of this country has access to irrigation but the natural rains over the last few months and a very mild August have made for a very good early spring.

A lot of lambs and in particular twins and triplets were enjoying the weather. As far as the whole state is concerned, north of Campbell Town is in good shape but unfortunately there are parts of the Midlands particularly around Oatlands that are badly in need of rain.

There is the first of the spring store cattle sales at Powranna next Thursday with over 1,700 already booked in which will include some very good lines of beef bred weaners and yearlings.

With the way the season is both here and in Victoria one could expect some good competition but it is also an opportunity for finishers to secure cattle going into the spring.

Interstate cattle prices have continued to hold firm to slightly dearer as the season in South Australia, Victoria and Southern NSW is in very good shape and restockers are out in force looking for cattle to eat the grass. Most trade cattle are making 500c to 550c while grown steers and bullocks are selling from 450c to 500c (with medium weights up to 540c).

The best heavy cows are making 390c to 430c with most averages around 410c and the secondary cows are making 360c to 400c/kg liveweight. Store cattle sales in Victoria over the past fortnight have been very strong with the latest being Wodonga where there were at least half a dozen feedlot orders plus numerous commission buyers plus all the locals all looking for their share.

Steers in the 330-400 kg range made to a top of 612c and averaged 565c and heifers in the same weight range averaged 508c which was about 50c higher than a fortnight before.

One of the selling agents said that a lot of cattle were 30c to 40c/kg higher than two weeks before. He also said that restockers were having come down in weight to meet their dollar per head buy in price. It should be noted that the finished product price is very good at the moment and here in Tassie both exporters have got good money for farm assured program cattle.

Firm market for few cattle at Powranna

THERE were very few cattle at Powranna on Tuesday with small numbers in each category.

The market was fully firm with yearling steers making 482c to 490c and heifers 440c to 498c. The few secondary heifers made 400c to 458c/kg. The best heavy cows made 392c to 402c and the seconds 368c to 288c/kg liveweight.

THERE were only 243 lambs (592 less) penned and there was one very heavy pen that made $380 while the rest of the trade and heavy trade made $230 to $292/head. Restockers paid $148 to $198 for well bred light lambs and $108 to $120 for very small lambs. There was a very small yarding of 106 mutton (190 less) and heavy sheep made $192 to $238 and light $100 to $146/head.