Livestock market report – December 14, 2017

AS this week’s hot weather brings more headers into harvest mode, farmers and contractors are keen to use this window to get as much crop off as possible after a shaky start to the season with storm events and cooler climate conditions hindering efforts.

Grain prices have improved on last year with yields also looking reasonable which should lead to better returns for grain growers if they can get it off in time.

Hay is everywhere, sheds full, yards full with most of the previous year’s hay still sitting around, farmers are still trying to move last year’s hay to make room for new seasons hay which has seen older hay hit the market at $25 per roll.

There were 45,000 lambs yarded at Ballarat Tuesday, as farmers look to off-load lambs before the feed goes off.

Market Highlights Ballarat Sheep & Cattle:
Heavy sucker lambs to $208
Trade lamb to $177
Light lambs to $129
Yearling calves to 288 cents
Grown steers to 257 cents
Grown heifers to 240 cents
Heavy cows to 237 cents
Quality vealers to 304 cents
Plain type vealers from 254 cents

Ballarat Cattle:
With just on 400 head yarded, competition was more enthusiastic from the usual following of buyers in Ballarat this week.

Quality was mainly good to very good with most of the young cattle in finished condition and many of the grown heifers and cows even over conditioned.

Restockers were strong and purchased the bulk of the young cattle sale despite majority of it being in 3 score condition.

Vealers sold to firm to processors and restockers, but yearlings were on average 10 cents dearer to restockers and processors paid 5 to 10 cents per kilogram less.

Grown steers were 5 cents dearer and grown heifers sold equal and up to 5 cents per kilogram better, as did most cows.

Heavyweight B2 bulls averaged 10 dearer and sold from 216 to 241 cents per kilogram.

The yarding comprised of 135 steers, 111 heifers, 112 cows and 37 bulls.

The B and C muscled vealers made 254 to 298 cents with restockers topping at 304 cents per kilogram.

The C muscled yearlings to processors made 230 to 255 cents with a processor paying 270 cents for 4 heifers and restockers paid 240 to 288 cents per kilogram.

The C muscled grown steers were from 244 to 257 cents, while the heifer portion made 230 to 240 cents per kilogram.

Dairy D2 cows sold from 210 to 228 cents, while the C3 to C6 heavy and extra heavy weight beef cows made between 220 and 237 cents per kilogram.