Cattle prices subdued at Swan Hill

Swan Hill Livestock Exchange was forced to cancel last week’s sheep sale due to the heavy rainfall but its most recent cattle sale saw a total yarding of 420 head.

That yarding consisted of mostly younger cattle or plainer cow, with the cows selling cheaper by 30–40c/kg on the previous sale.

Agents reported that heavy kill cattle were limited in supply and were 20–30c/kg softer.

Good trade cattle were also 20c/kg cheaper than they had been a fortnight earlier, and the trend continued with the secondary types down by 40–75c/kg.

Some of the better prices included:

Steer vealers up to 350kg made 234–370c/kg: 350.6c/kg for Darry Dow of Swan Hill; 318.6c/kg for Ag Staples out of Rainbow; and 310.0c/kg for D & J Whiting, Pental Island.

Heifer vealer up to 350kg sold between 197c/kg and 300c/kg: 290.6c/kg for D & J Whiting at Pental Island and for a second line to the same vendor a price of 286.6c/kg.

Trade steers 351–500kg made 318–65c/kg: The sale-high 365c/kg went to Spring Lake at Corack, with 355c/kg going to R & M Culross of Moulamein. Other prices were 342.6c/kg for Manfred Station out of Ivanhoe and 342.0c/kg to Ag Staples via Rainbow.

For the trade heifers in the same weight range, prices were between 250c/kg and 330c/kg, with 330c/kg going to Manfred Station at Ivanhoe, 284.6c/kg to D Tepelis at Speewa and 276c/kg to SM & KM Harris via Balranald.

Export steers 500kg+ sold from 285c/kg to 355c/kg. WD & BJ Jones from Donald reached 322c/kg, with 274.6c/kg going to R & M Culross at Moulamein.

The export heifers, also 500kg+, sold slightly lower at 245c/kg to 324c/kg, with 260c/kg going to D Tepelis from Speewa and 256c/kg to WD & BJ Jones, Donald.

Cows (180kg to 259kg) sold to a high of 220.6c/kg to GA Henschke from Werrimul, with 215c/kg for SM & KM Harris via Balranald, 212c/kg to Champness Pastoral at Barham and 205c/kg for L & L Schultz at Benjeroop.

Bulls up to 700kg reached a high of 238c/kg, with 175c/kg going to SM & KM Harris via Balranald

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