Market Report 26 September 2023

Cattle– 1146

There was a reduction of 393 head at Inverell to offer 1146 fair to good quality cattle. The usual buyers attended with the exception of two export operators. Market trends again were cheaper.  Weaner steers were much cheaper with some transitioning to yearlings and a slip in quality. Conversely drafts of lighter well presented weaner heifers sold to dearer trends up as much as 19c/kg with both categories going to restocker interests. Yearling steers declined 6c/kg  to backgrounders but saw firm to slightly cheaper trends for the feeder types. Medium weight feeders sold to cheaper trends slipping 17c/kg although the better bred and conditioned types were a little dearer. Similar trends for the extra heavy feeder steers which made to 237c/kg. Light heifers to background held ground selling to 162/kg and only marginally  cheaper. Medium weight feeder heifers were firm to slightly dearer 160c to 204c/kg.  Heavy grown steers to process sold to 195 the heifer counterparts 162c to 182c/kg.  Medium weight cows were slightly dearer to 154/kg and heavy cows to 17c/kg back selling to 184c/kg. 

Sheep 

Yarding– 1086 Lambs– 723 Sheep–   363

 A much reduced offering of 723 lambs and 363 grown sheep totalling 1086 at Inverell as opposed to 4087 a fortnight ago. The closure of a major abattoir for maintenance a principal factor. Most regular buyers attended with a varied market resulting in some drafts of lambs and grown sheep selling to dearer trends.  Light dorper lambs sold to $56/head to process while light Dorper trade lambs declined $17/head. Heavy trade crossbred lambs were dearer selling to $110/head. Dorpers were $10/hd dearer $71 to $77/head .Heavy lambs firm to $118/head and lambs in excess of 30kgs cwt $112 to $139/head.  Two pens of crossbred ewes sold to dearer trends making $34 to $45/head respectively. A line of 170 Merino wethers made $32/head to process and crossbred rams made from $10 to $20/head.