HEIFER PRICES FALL AS BUYERS BECOME MORE SELECTIVE

Recent analysis by Meat & Livestock Australia has revealed restocker heifer prices have fallen sharply, as tighter feed and water supplies prompt cattle buyers to become more selective about the quality of livestock they purchase.

The National Restocker Yearling Heifer Indicator has dropped to 386.67 cents a kilogram liveweight, down 20 per cent from its late-June peak.

Lighter heifers have faced the greatest pressure, with cattle between 200 and 280 kilograms falling to an average 382.6 cents, while 280 to 330-kilogram heifers averaged 400 cents.

MLA says lighter cattle require a longer carrying period, making them less attractive as feed becomes more limited across parts of Queensland.

Queensland supplied around 90 per cent of eligible heifers in the latest data, averaging 386 cents a kilogram, compared with 451 cents in New South Wales.

The National Feeder Heifer Indicator has also fallen, but by a smaller nine per cent from its July peak, with demand increasingly focused on heavier heifers closer to productive weights.