Poor grades hardest hit as prices drop

Marts: There was a slight drop in prices paid by factories for cattle last week, with the poorer graders being the hardest hit, but the average was up to 6 cent/kg (2p/lb) above the quoted prices for the week by the processors.

The overall average paid for R grade cattle, as confirmed yesterday by the farmer pay-sheet returns from the factories, was down less than 1c/kg for bullocks and by just over 1c/kg for heifers.

The average for O grade bullocks fell by 3c/kg (1p/lb) and the average for O grade heifers was back slightly more at 4c/kg less than the previous week. The prices held at up to 6c/kg higher than the generally quoted rates of 286c-274c/kg (102p-98p/lb) for R/O grades.