Stock Report: August 20

By Stuart Sheldrake

THERE were 815 cattle penned today at the Scone saleyards, a few less numbers with the market cheaper overall and substantially on lighter cattle. 

Cows were cheaper, but held up not too bad.

The best cows were 10 to 15 cents cheaper and lighter cows were 15 to 20 cents cheaper.

Bulls were still solid, for what was there.

The heavier feeder end of cattle were probably a bit easier, but still solid they were 5 to 10 cents cheaper across the board with steers and heifers.

Butcher calves were slightly cheaper, but on quality, because quality wasn’t quite as good as what there has been.

Light weaner cattle were a lot cheaper.

Weaner steers were 20 to 30 cents cheaper and weaner heifers were 40 to 50 cents cheaper and more in places. 

I think it has reached the point where we are running out of options with lighter cattle, as there is no grass about and no rain on the horizon.

A lot of cattle are being soaked up generally around, but also out of the south and that’s starting to shorten up now.

The demand is still there for heavier cattle, especially the kill market and also the feedlots are wanting to feed cattle.

So the short, turnaround market are still selling ok, but nay thing long term like cows and calves are being split to kill and lighter cattle there’s no competition there because they are too long for turn around and there is no grass about.