By Ross Ellis
(PRECEDE)
Livestock agent ROSS ELLIS of McDougall & Sons will provide a fortnightly summary of local livestock sales in our Rural Links pages – keep an eye out for his updates ongoing…
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The last fortnight has seen numbers fluctuate across the cattle and sheep numbers. The cattle market with the rain saw numbers fall and the yarding saw an increase across most sections with exporters pushing the cow rate up, as well as good support for feed-on and back to the paddock cattle. Heifers and steers in the 180-250kg range were particularly strong with a few lots over the $5/kg range with the bulk of prices falling in the $3.80-$4.40/kg range.
Good interest has been shown in the cow and calf units making up to $2200.
Butchers have still been filling their orders with the competition between them and feedlots keeping the trade rates fully firm.
Pigs have held their rate with pork, bacon and spit pigs trending dearer.
Goats are still in short supply and heavy demand which has seen them fully firm in all types.
As in all areas markets are not cut and dried as we saw over the last two sheep sales. With numbers back in the first week combined with a religious festival the rate for lambs was fully firm to dearer in week 1, come week two and with the Covid-19 restrictions affecting major distributors in Victoria and the annual flush of new season lambs finding their way into the market saw a sharp decline in the value of lambs in week two of the selling period.
The averages were not as severe as southern markets, but the heavy end saw rates drop an average of $35 which was subsidised by the fully firm rate paid by re-stockers.
As in all markets numbers dictate to some extent how our prices are to come in. The feature we have this year compared to last year is the amount of feed in paddocks and the lack of numbers in feedlots.
Written by Ross Ellis (McDougall & Sons Pty Ltd)
10/8/2020
