Cattle sale numbers drop by 1300 in Wagga

Yearling cattle were very mixed in condition, reflecting the dry spring conditions.

There were good supplies of yearling steers and heifers suitable for the trade.

Grown steer and bullocks numbers increased marginally.

It was a bigger group of both domestic, export and feedlot buyers in attendance.

Vealers were in short supply, with the pick of the vealers going to select butcher orders from 270c to 290c/kg.

Medium weight trade heifers sold from 240c to 280c, averaging 261c/kg.

The better finished steers sold from 285c to 292c/kg.

There were a few more store orders in place, although there were less light weight cattle under 300kg offered, which contributed to a dearer trend of 20c to 30c/kg.

The bulk of the steers returning to the paddock sold from 230c to 291c/kg.

Secondary light weight heifers weighing 200-280kg sold to dearer trend, averaging 247c/kg.

Medium weight feeder steers made from 255c to 302c/kg.

The lighter steers sold 16c dearer to average 279c/kg.

Feeder heifers weighing 330-400kg regained last week’s losses selling 29c dearer to average 248c/kg.

The better quality pens of prime finished steers made from 270c to 295c/kg.

Northern processors controlled the market lifting prices, generally by 20c to 30c/kg.

Heavy cows sold 23c dearer to average 231c/kg. The D3 weight lines sold up to 30c dearer, while the D2 types lifted 23c to average 169c/kg.