Market Report 19 March 2024

Cattle - 1040
Inverell numbers declined in a mixed quality offering of 1040 head. The market reacted to varying trends with better bred drafts selling to dearer trends although lines of secondary cattle forced some categories into the negative. Most of the regular buyers attended. Weaner steers sold to 382c/kg and the heifer portion 250c/kg both categories to restockers. Light steers to feed sold in the negative back 23c/kg and their heavier counterparts slipping 22c/kg to average 305c/kg. Medium weight feed-ers also sold to slightly cheaper trends 250c to 340c/kg. Light steers to background saw a significant rise of 38c/kg. Similarly feeder steers in excess of 480kgs sold to 334c/kg. Light background heifers sold to slightly cheaper trends the medium weights back 32c/kg. Conversely heavy feeders gained 36c/kg. Drafts of heavy grown steers and heifers sold to dearer trends of 270c to 269c/kg respectively. Heavy cows slipped 13c/kg with strong demand for cows back to the paddock making to 204c/kg.

Sheep
Yarding – 2080 Lambs –1050 Sheep –1030
There was a shortfall of 965 head from two weeks ago to offer 1050 lambs and 1030 grown sheep at Inverell. It was a well presented penning of lambs and a good selection of store lambs principally Dorpers. The regular buyers attended to a mostly dearer lamb market and a cheaper sheep sale. Dorper store lambs dominated that market and were slightly cheaper $40 to $122/head. Trade lambs sold $90 to $154/head with heavy trades $142 to $158/head and $3/head dearer. Heavy lambs were considerably dearer $183 to $188/head and lambs in excess of 30kgs cwt sold to $210/head. Hoggets $45 to $78/head. Young crossbred ewes to the paddock $74/head and young Merino wethers sold for $100/head. Ewes were cheaper for all categories. Light weights to $14/head with medium ewes $44 to $62/head. Heavy ewes to $103/head and wethers sold for $66/head.