Supplies of cattle offered in southern prime markets this week were slashed by a staggering 35 percent.
With numbers back significantly and demand also decreased due the ANZAC Day public holiday on Wednesday prices responded marginally to claw back some of the past fortnight’s heavy losses.
The cutback in supplies at main Victorian market outlets were rather dramatic.
On Tuesday at NVLX Wodonga numbers were slashed by almost half to 650 to include 130 head of cows while the supply to Shepparton was halved from 1800 head last week to 900 this week. On Monday suppliers to the new WVLX Mortlake yards reduced its yarding from 718 to 328 head week-on-week, however Pakenham was the exception offering a small increase – up 15 head to 1060.
Further north where the dry weather still holds a strong upper hand, interstate markets continued with still heavy, albeit reduced yardings, with cows again dominant.
At Dubbo numbers dropped from 8000 last week to 6000 on Thursday while at Wagga Wagga supply was trimmed from 6330 to 5150.
Prices as mentioned rallied late in trading.
At Wodonga the NLRS said price trends were distorted due to the lack of finished types. Trade cattle, which were supplementary fed, attracted strong bidding to push prices markedly higher while a short supply of vealers made 250-332c/kg, the official report carried.
Medium weight trade heifers met strong demand selling from 252 to 323c/kg while supplementary fed trade steers were sold 11-cents higher to average 282c/kg and feeder steers, 13c dearer, from 250 to 300c/kg.
The better quality pens of prime C3 steers and bullocks made 258-286c/kg.
At Shepparton competition was stronger for the better end of the beef cows while trade cattle, with some finish, lifted in prices owing to the reduced supply, NLRS reported.
The vealers and yearling steers made 270-318c, and yearling heifers, 264-310c/kg as trade buyers chased cattle with finish.
At Pakenham, yearling trade steers were sold 10-cents dearer on most sales, heifers to the trade were sold mostly firm but some to 9c/kg easier while grown steer and bullock prices improved 2-7c/kg.
Meanwhile the problem child of current markets – cows – found demand improved for best beef classes and firm for most others.
At Shepparton cows won back up to six cents making 183-212c/kg, at Wagga heavy cows were firm to 7c/kg dearer.
Meanwhile at Mortlake heavy and well covered beef cows were sold firm from 186-213c/kg.
