CATTLE SALE

Monday, 5 May

Yarding 2303 (up 1205)

Numbers jumped this sale with agents yarding 2303 head.

Quality was mixed but fair with some better lines of feeder cattle offered along with the secondary types.

Not all the usual buyers were present and competing in an easier market.

Yearling steers slipped 6c to 10c/kg.

Middle and heavyweights to feed selling from 340 to 424c/kg.

Steers to the paddock sold from 350 to 446c/kg.

Finished lines to processors received from 340 to 390c/kg.

The heifer portion was also easier with feeders paying from 301 to 343c/kg.

Those to processors received from 357 to 380c with B muscles to 417c/kg.

Heavy steers and bullocks sold from 323 to 390c/kg.

Grown heifers reached 355c/kg.

Cows were 8c easier with heavy 2 score from 250 to 288c and 3 score 279 to 300c/kg.

SHEEP SALE

Tuesday, 6 May

Yarding 48500 (up 6300)

There was a slight increase in lamb numbers.

The quality was very good through the large outside pens with the lambs mostly heavy or extra heavy weights, back in the main runs the weight fell away and there were plenty of lighter and secondary lambs penned alongside with the smaller lots of prime trade and heavy weights.

All the usual buyers were operating and the market was mostly firm, with trade Merinos lifting between $5 and $8/head.

Restocking and feeder lambs sold up to $184/head for 20kg.

Trade lambs sold from $153 to $212/head and averaged 820c to 840c/kg while the good lines of heavy lambs sold from $183 to $265/head and averaged from 830c to 860c/kg.

Extra heavy lambs topped at $310/head or estimated 835c/kg.

Merino trades sold from $167 to $210/head.

The best price for heavy hoggets reached $235/head.

Mutton numbers lifted and the quality was mixed but did contain plenty of medium and heavy weights.

The urgency to purchase mutton was not as strong and prices were back around $20 to $30/head.

Medium weight ewes sold from $95 to $156 and heavy crossbred ewes sold from $162 to $220, while Merino ewes reached $235/head.

A big line of heavy Merino wethers topped at $255/head. Most ranged from 580c to 650c/kg cwt.

FROM MLA'S NATIONAL LIVESTOCK REPORTING AGENCY

PIG SALE

Friday, 2 May

Sow numbers lifted this week as did prices, by 50c to 60c mainly on the heavier types.

Bacon was in short supply, but prices also dropped $10 to $15 per head.

A much larger yarding of porkers also saw prices drop between $50 to $60 per head.

Suckers numbers also slipped and prices also slipped $30 to $40 per head mainly on the heavier types.

FROM VC REID SMITH LIVESTOCK