Showers on Monday have given a little help to farmers and graziers who had sown early crops and are looking to sow Canola.
One grazier told me today that his early winter wheat certainly needed a drink.
At Dubbo last Thursday 4220 prime cattle penned in a plainer quality yarding with competition weaker causing price falls for most categories.
Medium weight vealer steers to restockers’ dropped eight to nine cents, while the heavy end to the trade lost as much as 30 cents.
Restocker lightweight yearling steers maintained their value however medium and heavy restocker orders fell seven to 15 cents.
Heavyweights to the trade and feeders lost seven to 13 cents. Yearling heifers sold to a cheaper trend of eight to 12 cents.
Heavy steers to feeder fell six to 12 cents, bullocks eased two to 13 cents, heavy heifers lost nine cents with greater falls paid for the plainer end, and cows struggled easing 11 to 15 cents.
Calves 218 to 305, steer vealers 176 to 230, heifer vealers 148.2 to 220, steer yearlings 155 to 210.2, heifer yearlings 130 to 182.6, heavy steers 150 to 184.2, bullocks 155 to 185.2, heavy heifers 120 to 169.6, light cows 60 to 115, medium cows 102 to 135, heavy cows 125 to 135, bulls 126 to 193.6.
At Dubbo on Friday 1580 store cattle penned in a mixed-quality yarding, weaner steers were in the majority while cows and calves were limited.
791 weaner steers, or half the yarding, lost $15 to range from $305 to $670 to average $485 or 221 cents per kg live, weaner heifers sold at a premium compared to the prime market with 207 selling from $370 to $690 to average $488 or 203 cents per kg live.
Yearling steers eased $30 and traded from $380 to $630 to average $520 or 175 cents per kg live, yearling heifers realised $435 to $600 to av $496.
PTIC heifers made from $620 to $920 to average $732, PTIC cows sold from $495 to $905 to average $727, cows and calves ranged from $620 to $1320, unjoined cows traded from $385 to $660.
On Monday 11,500 lambs penned in a plainer quality yarding with steady competition across most categories, prices remaining firm to $2 cheaper.
The better bred exotic lambs sold from $95 to $98.
Light lamb $38 to $76.50, medium lamb $77.20 to $101, heavy lamb $90 to $106, supermarket lamb $96.40 to $112, export lamb $105.50 to $139.50. 6800 mutton penned in a similar quality yarding to last sale.
Values were firm to $3 cheaper. Light ewes $35 to $65, medium ewes $54 to $86 heavy ewes $75 to $110. Medium wethers $75 to $88, heavy wethers $87, rams $65 to $86.
Schute Bell report that last week’s market, which was the first one after the Easter recess continued the downward trend.
A large offering, in excess of 55,000 bales, was presented to buyers who subsequently dragged the market back on the opening day; however the market did consolidate on the last day.
The passed in rate climbed to 15.4 per cent. Merino skirtings carrying heavy vegetable matter and cotted types came under the most pressure with 29 per cent passed in. The market has now fallen to its lowest level in six months. The Northern market indicators closed at 1194 cents per kg clean a fall of 34 cents.