A PREDICTED 20-year low in the herd size is expected to limit supply of both females and finished stock in 2016.
As a result many industry analysts and stock and station agents have estimated cattle prices will continue to trend in uncharted waters.
During the southern weaner sales Angus steers consistently sold above 300 cents a kilogram and since then prices have surged past 400c/kg for similar quality steers.
At Carcoar store sale last Friday prices for weaner steers were well above 420c/kg for the top Angus pens.
Barb and Silvio Polinelli, "Craiburn", Bowen Park, who sold weaner steers for $1105 during the sale said they bred Angus cattle because they were adaptable enough to go into just about any market.
Likewise, at Ballarat in Victoria pregnancy-tested-in-calf (PTIC) Angus heifers sold for $2280 last Friday.
In January at the Wodonga combined agents F1 female sale some of the highlights included P. and V. Hourigan, Everton, Victoria, selling 27 Angus/Holstein cows with their first calves for $2340 and averaging $2119. T.A. and J.C. Hourigan, Everton, also sold 15 young Angus/Holstein cows with calves for $2320 and averaging $2185.
In the past week Angus Australia have reported in it’s weekly market update the continual demand for replacement females, particularly PTIC.
“The aftermath of good rains is still giving buyers the confidence to loosen purse strings to secure quality Angus and Angus-cross females,” the report said.
