Australia's cattle price yard stick - the Eastern Young Cattle Indicator - closed higher last week, finishing on A$321.75/kg.
There were 67 per cent fewer cattle yarded at Dubbo this week, with 710 head consigned, Meat and Livestock Australia analysts report.
Cows were well-supplied, with good drafts of well-finished trade cattle, while grown steers and cattle suitable to feed were in short supply.
Medium C3 yearling steers to slaughter orders averaged higher week-on-week, selling between 200¢ and 249¢, while heavy C3 yearling heifers to processors increased 19¢, to average 191¢/kg.
Heavy C4 grown steers sold to slaughter buyers 8¢ dearer, to average 198¢, while heavy D4 beef cow grades were up 12¢ on last week, ranging from 137¢ to 146¢, to average 142¢/kg.
Total throughput at Bairnsdale eased 7 per cent compared to last week, at 1,139 head, with the usual buying group in attendance and operating in an overall dearer market.
Vealers and yearlings experienced strong demand as good quality lines become harder to source due to the deteriorating season, while the reduced offering of grown steers showed some good quality with demand strong for these lines.
Heavy C4 yearling steers averaged 3¢ higher on 189¢, while heavy D3 yearling heifers to slaughter orders increased 4¢, selling from 155¢ to 185¢/kg.
The C4 bullocks to processors were up 8¢ on 186¢, while heavy D3 cows to slaughter gained 5¢, to average 137¢/kg.
At the conclusion of Thursday’s markets, the Eastern Young Cattle Indicator (EYCI) improved 3.75¢, to finish on 321.75¢/kg cwt.
Trade steers were up 6¢ on 192¢, while medium steers gained 2¢, to average 177¢/kg. Feeder and heavy steers averaged 1¢ dearer on 179¢ and 186¢, respectively, while medium cows increased 6¢, to average 125¢/kg.
