THE cattle market may have its mojo back after the Eastern Young Cattle Indicator finally recorded a positive trend in the past week.
After dipping below 900c/kg (carcase weight) late last month, the EYCI has recovered and was sitting about the 960c/kg mark yesterday.
Smaller yardings in NSW have helped lift demand for the quality prime cattle offered in saleyards.
Supply slipped to just 900 head at Wagga Wagga prime market last Thursday and pushed EYCI-type cattle to an average of 1012c/kg and well above the current EYCI figure.
Carcoar's market was also much dearer, compared with the EYCI, and averaged 982c/kg in a yarding of about 530 head. An extra feedlot buyer added competition at the buyers' rail to help keep prices buoyant.
The cattle yarding at Wodonga slipped to about 440 head on Tuesday and this pushed the average for EYCI-type cattle to 981c/kg, also well above the indicator's position earlier this week.
Meanwhile, Australia's beef sector can expect continuing demand from China despite its slowing economy and continued lockdowns affecting how the country consumes animal proteins.
Rabobank's Hong Kong-based senior animal protein analyst Chenjun Pan said China's lockdown policies had affected the population's protein consumption habits, with the major short-term change being where people are consuming food.
"In the past, banquets played an important role in rural areas and smaller cities," she said."
Because of the lockdowns, the banquets have disappeared, and the number of business events and dinners have also declined.
"Beef consumption has seen some shift from food service to retail since the beginning of the pandemic, Ms Pan said, and this trend is expected to continue in 2022.
She expects beef imports into China to remain stable.
Rabobank senior animal protein analyst Angus Gidley-Baird said Australian beef exports to China had been tracking at similar levels to last year, "but that's a reflection of Australia's ongoing low production volumes".
"The Australian 2022 beef export volumes are still 39 per cent behind what Australia exported to China in 2020," he said.
Regional saleyard cattle results
MOSS VALE: (429 head) Vealers: to 269; Yearling steers: 200-650; Yearling heifers: 100-549; Grown steers: 220-542; Grown heifers: 304-540; Cows: 200-332.
CAMDEN: (155 head) Vealers: 325-540; Yearling steers: 380-564; Yearling heifers: 352-546; Grown steers: 350-370; Grown heifers: n/q; Cows: 155-386.
MAITLAND: (220 head) Vealers: 380-680; Yearling steers: 400-560; Yearling heifers: n/q; Grown steers: 350-400; Grown heifers: 350-380; Cows: 180-340.
NOWRA: (140 head) Vealers: 250-544; Yearling steers: n/q; Yearling heifers: 392-570; Grown steers: n/q; Grown heifers: n/q; Cows: n/q.
DALBY: (3064 head) Vealers: n/q; Yearling steers: 306-600; Yearling heifers: 260-540; Grown steers: 320-436; Grown heifers: 266-406; Cows: 150-366.
- Prices are in cents a kilogram (liveweight)
Prime Stock Top Quotes
Note: For cattle - Vendor, Town, (Agent), weight in kilograms, cents/kilogram, $/head. For sheep and lambs - Vendor, Town, (Agent), $/head.
Corowa Lambs and Sheep
Suckers - RE and SM Lieschke, Pleasant Hills, (PSN), 188; RE and SM Lieschke, Pleasant Hills, (PSN), 173.20.
Lambs - Mickan Bros, Walla Walla, (ELD), 238.00; Sowden Inv, Jindera, (ELD), 234.20; RJ Lubke, Jindera, (ELD), 228.00; Piney Range P/C, Walbundrie, (PSN), 224.00; BC Just, Howlong, (PSN), 221.00; JF Kelly, Rutherglen, (PSN), 216.00; AA Anderson, Nathalia, (PSN), 214.00; T McClounan, Boomahnamoonah, (PSN), 211.00; RG Schilg, Walbundrie, (ELD), 190.00; NJ and EE Macartney, Coreen, (ELD), 178.00; Nixon partners, Savernake, (PSN), 174.00.
Ewes - Bull Plain, Mulwala, (ELD), 195.00; KC and FF Lavis, Balldale, (ELD), 186.00; BJ Demeo, Berrigan, (PSN), 185.00; JF Kelly, Rutherglen, (PSN), 170.20.
Dubbo Cattle
Steers - DL and DJ Grimshaw, Neilrex, (CHC), 325.8, 560.2, 1824.85; GG and SA Mitchell, Neilrex, (CHC), 340.0, 532.2, 1809.48; TM and ES Ridge, Geurie, (P&C), 454.4, 530.2, 2409.46; TM and ES Ridge, Geurie, (P&C), 456.2, 509.2, 2322.85; JB and HL Mitchell, Canbelego, (NUT), 706.7, 412.2, 2912.88.
Heifers - Northmalt P/L, Dubbo, (P&C), 433.3, 498.2, 2158.87.
Cows - BT McConnaughty, Baradine, (CLW), 763.0, 389.2, 2969.60; Caitlyn Myors, Wanaaring, (NUT), 790.0, 382.2, 3019.38; Cudgewa Cattle Company, Warren, (RSD), 515.2, 360.2, 1855.59.
Dubbo Lambs and Sheep
Lambs - AL and NT Whillock, Wellington, (P&C), 268.20; Paul Baker, Wellington, (NUT), 267.20; GR and KM Currans, Nyngan, (ELD), 255.2; AL and NT Whillock, Wellington, (P&C), 250.2; SL and KA Deutscher, Comobella, (P&C), 250; G O'Leary, Elong Elong, (P&C), 240.
Ewes - E and S Bennetts, Merrygoen, (CHC), 146.6.
Wagga Wagga Cattle
Weaners - J Tweddle, Tarcutta, (FRAN), 207.00, 730.20, 1512.56.
Yearling steers - Lulworth P/C, Harden, (ELD), 353.00, 580.00, 2049.33; Gunyah P/C, The Gap, (DEL), 360.80, 566.00, 2042.32. Yearling heifers - Evans James Past, Barratta, (RLA), 342.30, 515.00, 1762.74; B James Past, Barratta, (RLA), 501.70, 510.20, 2357.83.
Steers - JH and JS McLaurin, Bidgeemia, (ELD), 515, 510, 2626.50. Heifers - Cranky Chef P/L, Jembaicumbene, (NUT), 441.30, 496.20, 2189.48.
Cows - Chris Cabot, Forest Hill, (NUT), 595.00, 389.20, 2315.74; TA Field Estates, Carathool, (WMLP), 661.30, 388.20, 2567.30.
Wagga Wagga Lambs and Sheep
Suckers - Harvey F/T, Currawarna, (WMLP), 210.
Lamb - Glenvale F/T, Ganmain, (RLA), 265; PJ and KA Logan, Ganmain, (NUT), 259.2; Sunbury Park P/L, Lockhart, (NUT), 255; PGB Rural, Pleasant Hills, (RLA), 255.
Wethers - Maple Brown I/T, Bethungra, (NUT), 200. Ewes - Gleneith Stud, Ganmain, (ELD), 224.2.
Forbes Cattle
Steers - BA and WJ Kopp, Peak Hill, (ALH), 451.4, 480.0, 2166.86; Kurrboo Livestock, Forbes, (FLA), 621.7, 479.2, 2979.03; DW and E Ridley, Forbes, (NAS), 565.8, 475.2, 2688.84; KJ Schaefer Trust, Grenfell, (KMW), 613.5, 470.0, 2883.45.
Heifers - RR, JM and RR Stewart, Wirrinya, (KMW), 420.0, 475.2, 1995.84; AS and C Thompson, Parkes, (ALH), 466.3, 470.0, 2191.38; BA and WJ Kopp, Peak Hill, (ALH), 455.7, 470.0, 2141.86; EH Mattiske and Son, Forbes, (ELD), 490.0, 460.0, 2254.00.
Cows - June Scifleet, Goologong, (NAS), 475.0, 400.0, 1900.00; RA, JA, DB and AM Worsnop, Condobolin, (FLA), 825.0, 388.2, 3202.65.
Forbes Lambs and Sheep
Suckers - EJ and RE Pengilly, Eugowra, (FLA), 215; Glenleigh P/C, Forbes, (FLA), 213.
Lambs - Toynton family, Molong, (FLA), 278; A and K Smith, Cudal, (KMW), 266.
Wethers - MJ Pearce and CL Owens, Condobolin, (FLA), 190.2. Ewes - Greenock P/S, Wirrinya, (FLA), 244.2.
