MARKET REPORTS

By MLA'S NATIONAL LIVESTOCK REPORTING AGENCY

CATTLE SALE

Monday, 16 March

Yarding 1246 (down 386 on last week)

Numbers fell at Monday's sale at Forbes' Central West Livestock Exchange with agents yarding 1246 head.

Quality was reduced from the previous sale with a plainer yarding of cattle offered though there was still some handy lines available.

The usual buyers were present and competing in a fairly steady market that varied with quality.

Yearling steers to processors sold from 440c to 482c/kg. Middle and heavyweights to feed ranged in price from 450c to 520c/kg.

The heifer portion to feed eased slightly with those to feed selling from 430c to 460c/kg.

Better finished types to processors sold from 420c to 470c/kg.

Heavy steers and bullocks received from 420c to 480c/kg. Grown heifers sold from 420c to 455c/kg.

Cows were 2 to 3c better with heavy finished cows from 378c to 410c/kg and plainer types receiving from 356c to 378c/kg. The best heavy bull reached 428c/kg.

SHEEP SALE

Tuesday, 17 March

Yarding 32,650 (down 4850 on last week)

There was 25,700 lambs penned and quality was similar to that of previous sales.

There was a handy offering of grain assisted trade and heavyweight lambs penned along with the secondary types.

The usual buyers were present and competing in a firm to dearer market dependent on quality offered.

Restockers were again very strong on the lighter lambs with prices ranging from $185 to $261/head.

Trade weight were firm to dearer dependent on quality with 20-24kg selling from $240 to $312/head.

Heavy lambs to 26kg received from $298 to $324/head, extra heavyweights sold from $324 to $396/head.

Carcase prices averaged from 1044 to 1246c/kg.

The best heavy hoggets reached $298/head.

There was 6950 mutton penned and quality was mixed.

Prices eased slightly with Merino ewes selling from $177 to $288/head, crossbreds ranged from $171 to $291/head and Dorpers sold from $173 to $246/head.