Quality improved in the prime pens on Tuesday, and combined with a firming of the market, prices also improved. Straight Angus and Hereford steers sold for $2.76-$2.77/kg, while the rest of the section made $2.65-$2.73/kg. Prime heifers earned $2.74/kg for Angus and Angus-Hereford. Other beef lines fetched $2.68-$2.71/kg, Hereford-Friesian $2.52-$2.65/kg.
Beef cows returned $2.00-$2.21/kg, Friesian, 555-615kg, $1.81-$1.85/kg. Boner cows were more variable but Jerseys sold over a tight range of $1.81-$1.85/kg.
Lamb prices came up with prime lambs earning $93-$120, stores $45-$90. The top prime ewes were steady at $73, medium to light lines $47-$58.
While bids were hard to hear last Wednesday with rain falling on the roof, they were coming at speed as demand for store cattle to winter lifted on the back of the promise of more grass cover. R3 steers all sold for $2.70-$2.80/kg, while lighter R2 steers were again cracking $3/kg to sell for $3.01-$3.07/kg, and other lines realised $2.80-$2.97/kg. R2 Hereford-Friesian heifers were well sought-after and achieved $2.72/kg, while 10 Hereford made $940, $2.79/kg. Run-with-the-bull R2 beef heifers earned $1055-$1125.
Weaners also sold well with prices mainly steady, though 21 Friesian bulls, 196-221kg, sold on a lifting market at $650-$740. Angus steers were very popular and sold for $980, while two Friesian lines made $410-$550. Weaner heifer lines were mainly small but the better beef-cross sold for $695-$770, with one line of 261kg Hereford earning $855.
A larger offering of cows had a good mix of in-calf and empty lines for buyers. Vetted-in-calf beef cows fetched $955-$1235, $2.10-$2.23/kg, Friesian and Friesian-cross $1.74-$1.93/kg. Run-with-the-bull Hereford-Friesian made $975-$1145, 499-560kg empty Friesian cows $1.63-$1.78/kg.
