Agents penned approximately one third of the cattle from the last sale a fortnight ago. Quality was average with not all weights and grades offered. Not all the regular domestic and export processors were present or operating in a mostly firm to cheaper market.

The feedlot and domestic buyers were keen to fill their orders, however, prices still dropped back up to 18c/kg in places. There was a mixed offering of vealers with prices dropping 11c, with the better shapes selling between 220c and 265c/kg. The best of the trade weight cattle eased 18c, with the steers selling between 255c to 267c and the best of the trade heifers making between 220c to 240c/kg. Feeder cattle were slightly cheaper today, with the best feeder heifers selling between 238c to 245c and steers making between 240c to 250c/kg. Very few heavy grown steers were offered today with the best of them selling in a firm market for 277c/kg weighing 576kg.

The bulk sold between 236c and 277c/kg. Limited grown heifers sold firm to a few cents dearer making between 234c to 248c/kg. Good C3 and C4 beef cows eased up to 9c in places selling between 165c and 196c with the bulk of the lighter portion selling between 118c to 156c with the very poor condition types making 86c/kg. Only one bull was offered today selling for 204c/kg.

VEALERS

1 Hfd Str 284kg @ 232c/kg, $659ph G & L Speight

COWS

1 Hfd X 724kg @ 172c/kg, $1245ph G & L Speight

BULLS

1 Hfd 754kg @ 204c/kg, $1538ph G & L Speight

BULLOCKS

1 Ang 516kg @ 200c/kg, $1032ph PG & TL Molloy

9 Frs 532kg @ 176c/kg, $937ph MP & JM Delaney

STEERS

3 Ang 487kg @ 260c/kg, $1265ph PG & TL Molloy

2 Ang 458kg @ 235c/kg, $1075ph PG & TL Molloy

STEERS

1 Char 576kg @ 277c/kg, $1596ph Ross Butler

VEALERS

5 Char Strs 431kg @ 266c/kg, $1146ph Ross Butler

2 Ang Strs 380kg @ 250c/kg, $950ph TG & PE Watson

7 Ang Strs 364kg @250c/kg, $909ph Brimgower Farms

3 Ang Strs 362kg @ 250c/kg, $904ph TG & PE Watson

4 Ang Hfrs 391kg @ 245c/kg, $959ph Brimgower Farms

1 Char Hfr 366kg @ 240c/kg, $878ph Ross Butler

BULLOCKS

3 Ang X 588kg @ 263c/kg, $1547ph Rifa Salutary P/L

TRADE STEERS

1 MG 434kg @ 260c/kg, $1128ph NC Bateman

VEALERS

3 Lim (MS) 363kg @ 260c/kg, $944.67ph GJ & KM Quinn

1 SH X Str 400kg @ 255c/kg, $1020ph Rifa Salutary P/L

1 SH X Hfr 394kg @ 241c/kg, $950ph AP & MA Hickey

2 SH X Str 368kg @ 240c/kg, $882ph Rifa Salutary P/L

2 Hfd Hfr340kg @ 240c/kg, $816ph KJ & HL Calvert

TRADE HEIFERS

1 Ang X 490kg @ 249c/kg, $1220ph KJ & HL Calvert

2 Hfd X 498kg @ 248c/kg, $1234ph KJ & HL Calvert

2 SH X 368kg @ 240c/kg, $882ph Rifa Salutary P/L

COWS

1 MG 582kg @ 196c/kg, $1141ph NC Bateman

12 MG 610kg @ 186c/kg, $1134ph AJ & IK Boyd

1 MG 616kg @ 186c/kg, $1146ph Minhamite Rural

1 Ang X 550kg @ 185c/kg, $1018ph GJ & KM Quinn

Thursday, March 21: Store Sale, 10am

Monday, March 25: Prime Market, 9am

Monday, April 1: Prime Market, 9am

Monday, April 8: Prime Market, 9am

Thursday, April 11: Store Sale, 10am

March 18. Yarding: 489. Change: 99.

With no sale last Monday, cattle supply lifted to 489 head this week at Ballarat. There was a good mix of all weights and grades, with the usual buying group in attendance and operating in an easier market when compared to the sale of two weeks ago. The best of the heavy grown steers sold similar, with most other cattle going from 10c to 30c/kg easier and more in places. Bulls eased 10c to 30c/kg. A large percentage of the increase in numbers comprised cows, with 178 cows, 100 heifers, 166 steers, 44 bulls and a few pens of open auction young cattle yarded. Vealers sold to the trade from 173c to 236c, plainer D muscle types sold from 140c to 160c, with feeders and restockers paying from 162c to 242c and 100c/kg for light weight young cattle.

Yearlings sold to the trade from 173c to 252c, as restockers and feeders paid from 163c to 237c/kg. Light D muscle grown steers sold for 180c, as medium weight C and D muscle grown steers sold from 226c to 241c, while heavy steers sold for 240c/kg. Restockers and feeders paid from 158c to 236c/kg for steers to feed on.

Medium weight grown heifers sold from 180c to 212c, with heavier weights receiving from 185c to 225c/kg. Feeders and restockers paid primarily from 150c to 176c/kg for grown heifers. Manufacturing steers sold to the trade from 140c to 175c, as restockers paid from 82c to 120c/kg. Heavy B and C muscle cows sold from 145c to 186c, as the C muscle 2 score cows sold from 115c to 140c, while heavy D muscle 4 score cows sold from 160c to 190c/kg. The D2 cows made from 110c to 145c/kg.

Medium C and D muscle cows sold from 90c to 141.6c, with the 1 score cows receiving from 73c to 102c/kg. Light D1 and D2 score cows sold from 70c to 90c, with the light condition E muscle cows making from 32c to 50c/kg at times. Dairy types sold from 80c to 100c/kg. Heavy beef bulls sold from 154c to 190c, as C muscle bulls sold from 143c to 190c, while dairy bulls received 125c/kg. Restockers and feeders paid from 80c to 148c/kg for young bulls.

The April to June forecast shows a 50-50 chance of rainfall exceeding the median from April to June for most of the country.

This is a pretty good outlook, considering just a fortnight ago half of the country had a less than 20-30 per cent chance of exceeding the median.

Unfortunately, the extended dry conditions and the dire outlook from a fortnight ago saw many producers in Queensland and NSW offload cattle, such that east coast yardings have remained elevated for the last few weeks.

Since the start of March, average weekly cattle yarding levels have been 33 per cent higher than the five-year average pattern across the east coast. The supply of younger cattle in the northern saleyards has seen the Eastern Young Cattle Indicator (EYCI) slide to lows not seen since 2014 and closed last week at 393¢/kg cwt.

We are at crucial support levels now for the EYCI and after registering a midweek low towards 385¢ managed to see price climb back towards 400¢ in the final days of the week.

In a further sign of optimism Trade, Medium and Heavy Steers along the east coast all managed a price gain this week to see them rally between 15-30¢/kg.

The spread discount of the EYCI to the 90CL is now in excess of 260¢/kg cwt and is beyond levels that would be considered historically extreme.