MLA's National Livestock Reporting Service recorded offerings in the vealer heifer and vealer steer sections of the market at levels 12pc and 17pc below the previous month, with yearling heifer numbers also tightening, back 8pc.

However, yearling steer numbers remained firm.

In the grown cattle section, steers numbers fell 24pc and heifers 16pc, while the numbers of cows offered slipped 8pc, MLA reported today.

Grown cattle yardings during May fell 17pc year-on-year, while young cattle offerings remained steady.

The largest year-on-year decrease was calves, which fell 59pc, while the supply of grown heifers tightened 24pc and cows 21pc.

While cattle numbers declined during May, average prices were mixed.

Restockers in May were more active than processors on vealer steers, with the average price paid by processors in May decreasing 4¢/kg, to 175¢/kg, while restocker prices declined 8¢, to 175¢/kg (live).

Vealer heifers to slaughter fell 9¢/kg to average 160¢/kg for the month.

Yearling steers recorded mixed prices during May, with prices for steers to slaughter and restockers both lifting 1¢ to 167¢/kg and 165¢/kg, respectively.

Prices to lotfeeders eased 2¢ to 164¢/kg.

Yearling heifer slaughter prices remained firm at 152¢, while prices declined 1¢ and 3¢ to feeders and restockers, respectively, to 150¢/kg and 139¢/kg.

In the grown cattle market, steers experienced an overall reduction in prices, slipping 2¢ lower to lotfeeders, averaging 156¢/kg, while lifting 1¢ for slaughter at 159¢/kg.

Grown heifer to slaughter, however, eased 3¢ to 138¢/kg. Cows remained firm during May, averaging 122¢/kg.