Tassie livestock prices hold up well

FOR Tasmanian standards Powranna is a big sale numbers wise and given the extra numbers the market held up remarkably well and although there was interstate interest all cattle remained in the state which indicates that our prices are as good as over the water (particularly after you add the high freight component).

Heavy weaner steers (over 330 kg) made $1,500 to $2,060 (av. 530c), medium (280-330 kg) $1,440 to $1,700 (530c), light (200-280 kg) $1,000 to $1,580 (565c) and very small (under 200 kg) $800 to $1,260 (600c).

Heavy heifer weaners $1,300 to $1,660 (430c), medium $1,220 to $1,420 (430c), light $700 to $1,400 (430c) and very small $700 to $920 (430c).

As we can see from the averages most steers made between 520c and 580c until we got to the very small ones that on occasion made up to 650c and higher.

Interstate cattle markets have struggled over the last couple of weeks as big numbers come onto the market from Central and Northern NSW and parts of Queensland where the season has turned very dry and stock water has become scarce.

This week we saw many prices slide 30c to 40c/kg with cow prices most affected.

There were record numbers at both Dubbo and Tamworth with 11,200 and 7,773 head yarded respectively and this followed on from big numbers at both Scone and Gunnedah.

The combined year-to-date throughput across Tamworth, Gunnedah, Inverell, Armidale, Scone and Dubbo has reached 241,007 head which is the highest volume recorded since the same period in 2005.

Cow prices at Wagga and Tamworth on Monday eased 30-40c and in places lost 60c with heavy cows making 325c to 368c and the leaner cows 240c to 330c.

Interestingly the Victorian markets haven’t had a big a hit and at Mortlake on Monday cow were 10-15c cheaper with most heavy cows 330c to 385c/kg.

Although on small numbers (75 head) the Powranna market was stronger with heavy cows making 320c to 360c while leaner cows were keenly sought after making 280c to 335c/kg liveweight.

Back to interstate markets and both feeders and restockers aren’t quite as strong as they were last month but obviously that is on the back of the extra numbers from up north.

It should be noted that although the season in the north is very dry most of the cattle coming south are in pretty good order with producers obviously keen to quit while the price is still good and their cattle are in good order.