The #AngusPremium in action At the end of May AuctionsPlus released breed breakdowns for the period of 1 January to 14 May 2021 with a comparison across the corresponding periods in 2019 and 2020 across eight breeds of cattle. This report showed that Angus cattle were easily the largest breed offered on AuctionsPlus for the period with the 25,562 head offered for PTIC heifers the single largest category.
Source: AuctionsPlus
Young steers, 200-280kg liveweight, averaged $1,551/ head, which was up 22% on the corresponding period in 2020 and 120% from the drought lows of 2019. Similarly, heifers of the same weight range averaged $1,437/head in 2021, up 40% and 143% on 2020 and 2019, respectively. Interestingly, the numbers of steers and heifers offered online for both categories were higher in 2019, compared to 2021, indicating the magnitude of the sell-off of drought impacted weaners through 2019 - even with an overall doubling of total numbers offered through AuctionsPlus by 2021.
PTIC heifers for January – May 2021 averaged $2,485/head – up 40% on the same period in 2020 and 106% on 2019. With 8,376 Angus cows with CAF offered through January – May 2021, prices averaged $3,337/unit, an increase of 53% on 2020 and 141% from the depth of the 2019 drought. Similarly, PTIC cows, with 8,553 head offered so far in 2021, averaged $2,481/head – up 32% on 2020 and 126% from 2019. Compared to Angus PTIC heifers in 2021, this was only $4 cheaper, while in 2020, the average PTIC Cow was $111/head higher.
In the breed
The result of the indicative breed price shows that in 2021 the Angus cattle performed best on a weighted average price basis via the Auctions Plus platform achieving a dollar per head price of $2130 across all cattle types. Applying some price/volume filters to the data the TEM team also compared prices for steers and heifers, weighing between 200 to 330 kg live-weight. Angus steers topped the category too, fetching an average per head price of $1623. Heifer prices were a little less varied with most categories fetching between $1323 to $1392. Angus heifers were again the standout, topping the group at $1504.
Matt Dalgleish, Thomas Elder Markets The Thomas Elder Markets team was able to use the data from AuctionsPlus to create some breed indicator prices and compare spreads across a selection of cattle breed types. Firstly, we created a weighted average (based on sales volumes) dollar per head price for each breed, using all listed cattle categories, which combined prices for steers, heifers, cows and cows with a calf at foot.
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