MARKET REPORTS

NATIONAL LIVESTOCK REPORTING SERVICE

CATTLE

Monday, 30 March

Yarding 1060 (down 487)

Numbers decreased by almost 500, for a total yarding of 1060, mixed quality cattle at Forbes' Central West Livestock Exchange on Monday.

Cows and feeder steers made up over half of the offering and there were some excellent quality grain fed steers to process, and there was an increased number of store cattle.

A full field of buyers were operating.

Prime cattle sold to dearer trends, cattle returning to the paddock were price unchanged, and cows to process were considerably cheaper.

Prime yearling steers lifted 6c, selling from 445c to 488c, and the heifer portion lifted 5c, making from 440c to 475c/kg.

Feeder steers were mostly firm ranging from 445c to 533c, and the heifers to feed slipped 5c, making from 405c to 475c/kg.

Rain in the region resulted in keen competition from the restockers, with the steers topping at 540c and the heifers reaching 440c/kg.

Heavy grown steers were 5c better, selling from 430c to 480c, and the heifer portion eased 5c, quality related, ranging from 390c to 452c/kg.

Cows to process were up to 15c cheaper, with the lighter and leaner cows making from 280c to 320c, and the heavy prime cows topping at 375c, to average 368c/kg.

Heavy bulls to process were back 6c, with the best making 400c/kg.

- Market reporter David Kent

SHEEP AND LAMB

Tuesday, 31 March

Yarding 26,600 (down 8350 on last week)

There was a reduction in lamb numbers at Forbes' Central West Livestock Exchange this week but the quality was very good with lines of grain assisted trade and heavy weights.

Extra heavy lambs were back in numbers and there were several pens of extra heavy Merino lambs.

Store lambs were in limited numbers and despite not all of the usual buyers operating the market lifted around $6 to $8/head across most of the lambs.

Store lambs to 18kg sold from $144 to $230 with secondary trade weights to $265/head.

Prime trade weights 20 to 24kg ranged from $246 to $307 and lambs 24 to 26kg sold from $308 to $335/head and ranged between 1190c to 1240c/kg cwt.

Heavy lambs sold from $290 to $366/head averaging 1200c/kg cwt, extra heavy crossbred lambs sold to $391 and Merinos $366/head.

The best priced hogget reached $300/head.

Mutton numbers were also back and the quality was mixed.

Prices were stronger lifting $5 to $6/head on average.

Medium weight ewes sold from $122 to $210 and heavy crossbred ewes reached $294, Merino ewes $291 and very heavy Dorpers topped at $320/head. Most 820c to 860c/kg cwt.