Deja vu for cattle yarding

Livestock | 17th January 2022 | By Matt Dalgleish

The Snapshot

  • Weekly east coast cattle numbers presented at the saleyard are 62% under the seasonal trend for this week in the year.
  • Queensland are ahead of last years open, NSW is mirroring the 2021 start and Victoria are running behind last season’s open. However all three states have reported opening levels under their respective five-year trend.
  • Meanwhile, cattle yarding levels in WA have opened 2022 in a robust fashion with volumes 21% higher than for the same week in 2021 and 51% more than the five-year average pattern.

The Detail

Weekly east coast cattle throughput has opened the 2022 season in a strikingly similar fashion to 2021 with total yardings coming in at 18,357 head, just a fraction higher than the opening week last year. Comparing this week to the five-year average pattern shows that cattle numbers at the saleyard are 62% under the seasonal trend for this week in the year.

A quick summary of the main east coast mainland states highlights that cattle yarding levels in Queensland are ahead of last years open, NSW is mirroring the 2021 start and Victoria are running behind last season’s open. Queensland reported 6,593 head of cattle yarded for the week ending on 14th January, significantly higher than the measly 1,532 seen for the same week in 2021, but 50% under five-year average of around 13,300 head.

NSW reported 6,843 head of cattle yarded, just 89 head lower than 2021. Despite a near replication of last season’s efforts NSW cattle throughput is a massive 68% under the five-year average pattern for this week in the season, at around 21,500 head. Victorian yarding was softest of the three mainland east coast states coming in at just 3,788 head. This represents levels that are 41% below the 2021 levels and 63% under the five-year average for this week in the season.

Although, it is a different situation out west. Weekly cattle yarding levels in WA have opened 2022 in a robust fashion. There were 5,728 head reported presented at WA saleyards for the week ending 14th January which is 21% higher than for the same week in 2021 and 51% more than the five-year average pattern.

Tags

  • Cattle
  • Beef
  • Throughput