Muchea cattle numbers drop

This comes after the Western Australian Meat Industry Authority (WAMIA) confirmed it had been in discussions with agents last week regarding proposed changes to move cattle trading days to spread over two days.

The proposal comes after the increasingly high volumes of pastoral cattle moving through the centre.

Farm Weekly understands the proposal could see cattle trading on Mondays and Wednesdays at Muchea, with smaller lines and trade cattle to be sold on Wednesday.

WAMIA confirmed the discussions and said it was possible the changes would be implemented from July 1 until November, but nothing was set in stone.

Pastoral cattle have been building in recent weeks.

Landmark reported 2117 cattle were yarded at Muchea last week, a large jump due to a big offering of pastoral lines.

This week, it was a different story, with only 500 head, including veal and trade cattle, offered.

Pilbara Landmark agent Daniel Wood said the numbers were down because Pilbara pastoralists were holding cattle back due to the late wet season.

“When you look at the season last year it was dry and everyone was selling off cattle,” Mr Wood said.

“But this season was different, it was a good wet season so people are holding onto their cattle to put weight on them.”

Mr Wood said the cattle were not going elsewhere.

Kimberley Pilbara Cattlemen’s Association chairman David Stoate confirmed many Pilbara and northern cattle stations had just begun mustering for 2017.

“Many of them are into it now or just starting,” he said.

“Perhaps that was the reason for the small yarding.

“The wet season delayed muster, everyone was delayed, even in the Pilbara.”

Elders auctioneer Don Morgan said no one could pin-point the exact reason for the sudden drop in numbers, including local cattle nominations.

“People are saying Mother’s Day was the issue, but I don’t think it was from that,” Mr Morgan said.

“We get more cattle when we have a Monday public holiday and a Tuesday sale.”

He believed the shift was due to the seasonal change from local to pastoral cattle.

“The pastoral cattle are just not ready yet,” he said.

“Some of them have just started mustering and some haven’t even started.”

Following the short sale on Monday agents met to discuss the drop in numbers.

“No-one could really put their finger on it, it was just one of those things,” Mr Morgan said.

“It was a bit of a shock to us, because the numbers were so low.

“But I think the change over to pastoral cattle, Mother’s Day and perhaps the rain could have affected it – I hope it’s not the case next week.”

Mr Morgan said the prices on Monday’s sale increased from last week.

At the May 8 sale, prices eased due to the high volume of cattle.

Elders reported prices for better bred and finished cattle remained close to firm, while plainer drafts were back by as much as 20 cents a kilogram from May 1.

On Monday, quality was better than average on the small yarding, with a larger local content.

Heavier manufacturing types were keenly sought and these rose 10-15c/kg a head and grown steers over 500kg were locally bred and were keenly sought selling from 238-304c/kg, up 10c/kg week-to-week.

Bulls jumped 10-15c/kg and pastoral light weights under 450kg to live export sold from 250-350c/kg.

“The prices were good for big bulls and cows,” Mr Morgan said.

“The sale was over by 10.30am, so it was a quick, but good sale.”