Despite three major cattle markets not operating last week due to Tuesday's Australia Day holiday, and a much tighter cattle supply, demand for many categories of cattle showed no dearer, even odd lines were cheaper.

The high Australian dollar, poor export demand and locally some butchers are finding less demand for the better quality, more expensive cuts of meat.

Lightweight vealers were the only cattle to average any dearer as some centres quoted sales 5 to 7/kg dearer, especially those vealers purchased for the Sydney markets, the current NSW supply is low due to recent heavy rains across several areas of that state.

In Victoria at MLA's NLRS-reported centres, vealers peaked at 194/kg; C-muscled vealer average was only 160/kg.

The C-muscled yearling steers and heifers averaged 1 to 4/kg easier making 147 to 174/kg, with a top of 176/kg for supplementary fed steers.

With three major centres closed on Tuesday, the supply of grown steers and bullocks was well back, however this did little for price, as the average eased back with most C-three, four and five-scores selling between 142 to 158/kg.

The better end of beef cows generally remained equal at 116 to 133/kg, while leaner one and twoscores sold mostly 72 to 118/kg and this included most heavy Friesians.

The state's cwt average was around 240 to 250/kg which belies the 90CL United States price of 328/kg FAS.

Sheep and lambs

Similar to cattle, lamb and sheep supplies came back due to the Tuesday holiday, and towards the close of the week this may have kicked prices.

Shepparton's Friday sale lifted $10 to $20/head compared with that of the previous week, many trade and heavy lambs estimated between 500 to 560/kg.

Bendigo's Monday market (January 25) contained an excellent selection of heavier trade, heavy and extra heavy lambs, several of which were in excess of 30 kg, the market toppers selling to $163.60/head.

At Wagga, NSW last Thursday they reached $170/head, and there's great confidence in the lamb market, some restockers paying nearly up to $100/head - never heard of before.

A top price of $154.50/head paid on Friday at Shepparton may well be a record for this centre.

Mutton continues to maintain and improve at recent levels, most classes bought by processors averaging between 310 to 370/kg cwt.

The high mutton prices are driven by strong Middle East sheep meat and live shipping demand, and around a 20 per cent drop in numbers on a year-to-year basis.

Interestingly enough, January's national lamb supply so far was about five per cent to six per cent higher year-on-year.