Crossbred lambs in good supply

Numbers were down slightly at the Muchea cattle sale on Monday to a total of 1201 head including 390 calves in the appraisal sale.

All regular trade representatives were present at the sale.

Although number remained relatively similar, the composition of the yarding changed to include better supplies of vealer steers and heifers with cows and bulls in very short supply.

Vealer steer prices ranged from 135 to 235c/kg to average 211.1c/kg; while vealer heifer prices ranged from 138 to 234c/kg to average 197c/kg.

Steers of all classes remained limited, with very few yearling steers available. Competition for both steer and heifer classes improved across the yarding. Yearling steer prices ranged from 130 to 226c/kg to average 167.5c/kg; yearling heifer prices ranged from 95 to 198c/kg to average 154.7c/kg.

Grown cattle supplies improved with export weight steers and heavy weight heifers achieving dearer prices due to good competition from processers. Grown steer prices ranged from 136 to 197c/kg to average 170.7c/kg, while grown heifer prices ranged from 109 to 177c/kg to average 150.3c/kg.

Locally bred cattle were in short supply with a large percentage of the yarding pastoral types. These also received very good competition from processors. Cow prices ranged from 80 to 140c/kg to average 113.2c/kg.

Good demand kept prices firm for light weight bull sales to live exporters and live export feeders.

On Tuesday, ewe supplies were again limited with very few heavy weight ewes available. But heavy weight and trade crossbred lambs improved in quality and supply to be in high demand. A total of 11,165 head were yarded with all local processor representatives present at the sale with good competition from an eastern states processor. Feeder competition also remained strong.

Heavy weight crossbred lambs were in very high demand from processors to be dearer $10 to $16/head.

Trade lambs received very good competition from feeders and processors, as did larger-framed store crossbred lambs.

Heavy weight ewes were in very short supply and received very good competition from processors. Trade and light weight ewes also followed this trend.

Young ewe prices ranged from $40.50 to $115/head, while older ewe prices ranged from a low of $58/head to a high of $112/head. There was a limited supply of heavy weight wethers with good competition from two live exporters to be $5/head dearer.

Young store wethers also received good competition to be slightly dearer.

Young wether prices ranged from $46 to $117/head to average $85.36/head, while older wether prices ranged from $69.50 to $115/head to average $98.44. Ram prices reached a top of $97/head and a low of $55/head to average $81.07/head.