FEEDLOTS and restockers continue to battle it out in NSW saleyards for the limited supply of young cattle - and as we head deeper into winter, that supply is not anticipated to pick up until later in the year.
Whether it be backgrounding for the feedlot market or to grow out for breeders, the competition on heifers has buyers paying prices just as high as the equivalent steers.
McCarron Cullinane agent Lindsay Fryer, Orange, said the market for store type young cattle has been holding up quite well as the chilly weather sets in.
"At Carcoar's store sale last Friday, the market was quite strong," he said.
"It was probably back a bit on the earlier weaner sales, but was still solid."
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McCarron Cullinane agent Darren Connick said the strength in the market was with the light heifers, which he estimated may have been a little stronger than earlier weaner sales.
About 3300 cattle were offered at Carcoar last Friday, which was higher than expected for this time of year. Some of the extra cattle were weaners which would normally be destined for the autumn weaner sales, but had been held back due to boggy access roads.
Purtle Plevey agent Patrick Purtle, Manilla, said quality cattle continue to hold their value at centres such as Gunnedah and Tamworth.
"That's particularly the case for anything that has the weight that the feedlots can finish by the end of the year," he said.
Isaac Hill from Wagga Regional Livestock said young cattle have been selling well in the state's south, too.
"People are still bullish with their purchasing and certainly on the better quality cattle that are on the market," he said.
"Those purchases are in line with people getting ready for the spring and the feed flush that will come with a full profile of moisture."
Unlike in the Central Tablelands, he said there were not too many runs of young heifers on the market and that was in part due to producers opting to retain them.
"This year I'm seeing people retain about 20 to 30 per cent more heifers," he said.
Mr Hill said it was "business as usual" with the season so good, however, looking longer term, he was cautious about the fact this was the third year of La Nina.
"If we get a dry spell and start to see significant parts drying right out, that might be a hiccup for the cattle market down the track," he said.
That's in line with the recent projections from Meat and Livestock Australia which take a broader look at not just the NSW situation, but right across the country.
MLA has reported the price of cattle could slip as much as 150c/kg (carcase weight) by the end of 2022.
