Stock Report: October 22

By Stuart Sheldrake

THERE were 775 penned at the Scone saleyards yesterday and half the yarding were cows and bulls for the export market.

The market was a lot stronger, the cow job could have been 10 cents dearer on last week’s market with the best cows making up to $2.62.

Bulls were very strong and the best bulls made up to $2.70 and the reason for that is just a short supply of those good heavy cattle getting about.

The balance of the yarding, not a lot of light cattle about we are starting to see a few calves come into the market with the dry conditions, being taken off their mothers again and it was solid on last week’s market, calves could have been another 10 cents dearer at the lighter end.

The steer portion of calves were making $2 through to $2.30 and the heifer portion probably $1.80 to $2.

A steer tends to yield a bit more, so you’ll get more meat out of him. On an average Angus steer it will yield probably 56% whereas a heifer will yield 53%. The other factor is you can get more weight into a steer than a heifer which means more money at the other end. 

Because we have slaughter so many of our breeding stock, when it rains female cattle will be very sort after.

The numbers are surprising us a hell of a lot, a few weeks there there were 400-500, but it’s starting to warm up now, rain was a bit disappointing, water is an issue again and people are not wanting to go through another summer from hell, which it is looking like again unfortunately.

The quality of cattle at the moment is very good in this area, especially on the cow side and female side, because people are dipping into the cattle that have been kept for breeding.

JBS were buying for two abattoirs the one here is Scone, but also Dinmore in Queensland and they do that from time to time.

Wingham Beef Exports were also in the market buying cattle for Oakey another one in Queensland.

Cattle in the north, in Queensland is getting very short, which is why we are seeing Dinmore and Oakey coming into the market on the kill side.

Cattle with 300 on them to kill, even for the trade market are becoming sort after, because they are getting harder to find.