Visitor orders from rain soaked areas of northern NSW, Chinchilla in Queensland, and for the Oodnadatta track in pastoral SA, were the strength behind a 4500-head sale yesterday of weaner cattle at Naracoorte, SA.
Paying to $680 a head and securing upwards of 60pc of the steer yarding, these few large volume orders forked out 180-200c/kg (live) (average 187c) for the heavier steers, which weighed upwards of 300kg.
The lighter steers mostly fetched 190-210c/kg, with limited pens selling below $500 a head.
Butchers and local lot feeders then provided the principal support to the heifer market.
Most heifers were traded in a range between $420 and $550, to realise 155-170c/kg.
Local buyer support from the lower southeast of South Australia was restricted and not a beast crossed the border into the main fattening areas of Victoria.
* Extract from a full market report to appear in Stock & Land, Vic, December 18 edition.
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