Fat Cattle Report
Good afternoon, this is Shaun McHugh taking a look at the weekly livestock markets out of Dubbo for the 2nd week of December. Tallied numbers this week included -
10000 fat cattle
23000 lambs and
19000 mutton
Into the cattle pens firstly, where the last cattle sale for the year produced another large yarding. It was a much plainer yarding with large numbers of plainer cows and their calves on offer. Prime cattle and feeders still made up the bulk of the offering with buyers competing in a softer market.
Young cattle to the trade lost 10 cents with prime vealers and yearlings selling from 380 - 480ckg. Feeder steers lost 8 cents, selling from 430 - 470ckg for the crossbred/coloured types and 475 - 510c/kg for the better presented blacks. Feeder heifers remained firm on quality selling up to 467c/kg.
Young cattle the restockers remained firm with continued interest from the northern and southern orders. Young steers sold to a top of 550c/kg while the heifer portion sold to 495c/kg.
Grown cattle were 12 cents cheaper this week. Prime grown steers sold from 400 - 481c/kg while the grown heifers sold from 390 - 465c/kg. Cows lost 20 cents this week with the better D3/4 cows selling from 370 - 410c/kg. The best heavy bull reached a top of 422 cents.
Carter Lindsay & McHugh sold the following cattle for some of their clients -
Locally for James Kelly of ‘Black Downs’, who sold Angus bullocks for 468 cents, weighing 735kg to return $3445.
The Walters Family of ‘Plain Creek’ at Wongarbon, sold Angus steers for 503 cents, weighing 469kg to return $2363.
The Lawson & Quirk Families of ‘Monte Carlo’ at Stuart Town, sold Santa cows for 399 cents, weighing 650kg to return $2594
The Cox Family of ‘Sunny Holme’ at Eumungerie, sold crossbred steers for 476 cents, weighing 235kg to return $1119.
The McWhirter Family of ‘Springfield’ at Tooraweenah, sold Santa cross heifers for 450 cents, weighing 590kg to return $2655.
To Trangie for Gordon O’Neill of ‘Nellady’, who sold Hereford heifers for 420 cents, weighing 463kg to return $1946.
The McKay Family of ‘Winnabri’, sold Shorthorn steers for 456 cents, they weighed 540kg to return $2463.
To Nyngan for the Giddy Family of ‘Illyria’, who sold Angus steers for 502 cents, weighing 492kg to return $2473
The Young Family of ‘Pine Grove’, sold Angus cows for 370 cents, weighing 605kg to return $2241.
To Bourke now for Mick Davis of ‘Myandetta Station’, who sold Santa heifers for 434 cents, weighing 351kg to return $1524.
And lastly for the Davis Family of ‘Romani Station’ who sold Santa cross steers for 410 cents, weighing 358kg to return $1472.
Fat Sheep & Lamb Report
Into the lamb pens now, where numbers lifted and quality was mixed. Drying seasonal conditions are visible in the cover and condition of some lambs. There was plenty of light weight and trade weight lambs on offer with limited runs of heavy weight on offer. All the usual buyers competed in a firm market.
Light weight lambs to the processors sold from $150 - $200. Trade weight lambs were well supplied and gained $3 to sell from $220 - $287. Heavy lambs are starting to be limited in supply, selling from $290 - $331 with extra heavy lambs attracting competition at the rail and ranging from $350 - $370. Merino trade weight lambs sold from $196 - $267, while heavy Merino lambs sold to $310. The best heavy hoggets reached a top of $280.
Carter Lindsay & McHugh sold the following lambs for some of their clients -
The Walters family of ‘Plain Creek’ at Wongarbon, sold 2nd cross suckers in a 4 score condition, to the domestic kill for $294.
Luke and Annabelle Morris of ‘Tathra’ at Collie, sold heavy trade weight Aussie White lambs, in a 3 score condition for $282.
Lastly for The O’Brien family of ‘Nebinedulla’ at Bollon, who sold Dorper lambs in a 2/3 score condition for $220.
Into the mutton pens now where all categories were represented in a dearer market.
Light ewes sold from $85 - $145
Medium weight ewes sold from $157 - $200
Heavy weight ewes sold from $220 - $270 with an isolated sale of $310.
Light wethers sold from $88 - $130
Medium weight wethers sold from $150 - $186
Heavy wethers sold from $190 - $230
Carter Lindsay & McHugh sold the following mutton for some of their clients -
Willie Culkin of Eulomogo Road at Dubbo, sold clean Aussie White ewes in a 3 score condition for $213.
Sam & Penny Deshon of ‘Rocklee’ at Wellington, sold heavy Aussie White ewes in a 4 score condition, to the exporters for $255.
The Pugh Family of ‘Gundong’ at Tomingley, sold heavy Merino ewes in a 4 score condition, with a 65mm skin for $282.
Lastly for The Plummer Family of ‘Trigoona’ at Tottenham, who sold Merino ewes in a 3 score condition, with an inch skin for $245.
Well that about wraps it up for another week.
Some dates to remember - The first sales back for 2026 are Monday 5th January for sheep and lambs and Thursday 8th January for cattle.
So, until next week ……………………… Bye.
Reminder - LPA NVDs
When filling out your NVD please ensure you complete and answer each question - please also ensure you sign and date the NVD.
If you make a mistake please initial it.
It is a legal requirement that the NVD is filled out correctly each time you sell livestock.