WHILE sheep numbers transferred into the Eastern States have reached record levels for the first three months of 2020, cattle numbers have not been too far behind.
Numbers sourced by the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) show that "there have been substantial numbers of cattle transferred east in 2020" from the southern regions of Western Australia.
"Between January and March about 26,000 cattle have been transferred (via Ceduna checkpoint)," DPIRD said.
"This amount surpasses all years since 2010 (129,000) and 2011 (49,000)."
This puts the total at a nine-year high.
Statistics from Ceduna show that in most years since 2010 the total number transferred east has been well below 20,000 head.
The rise is expected to continue in the months ahead as Eastern States buyers remain active in the WA market, with no sign of quitting anytime soon.
At Muchea last week there were at least two buyers from the Eastern States looking for young heifers and weaners to take back for restockers and those looking to feed them to weight and onsell when the price is right.
One buyer from Tamworth, New South Wales, who bought through a local bidder and didn't want to be named, said he had been in the WA market for about three weeks and was surprised at some of the quality coming off farms considering the weather conditions that producers have been dealing with in the State.
He purchased enough cattle this week at Muchea to fill more than a triple road train.
They were mainly younger weaners and heifers.
"About 90 per cent would be good quality," he said.
"A further 10pc would need to go on extra feed to get to condition, but they will sell."
The buyer said the Tamworth region had experienced a lot of rain recently after four to five years of drought and there was "almost panic buying" in the market to ensure they had stock to manage the pastures that had come back.
"People don't have enough stock to eat the grass," he said.
The buyer said the Tamworth market was more focussed on Angus and Murray Grey breeds and that was what he was trying to source, although there were other breeds that fitted the mould in terms of weight and profit margins.
He came looking for cattle in WA because the prices were too high in the east and taking into account the cost of transporting he could still make a profit.
"I paid 160 cents a kilogram for some young heifers," he said.
"With those prices the margins are really good."
The NSW man also said he paid $600 a head for some weaners which would have fetched $1100 at Tamworth last week.
He said good quality cattle were sought after in his region and he'd have no trouble finding a buyer.
"At the moment they are paying more for liveweight than they are for dressed weight at the processors (in the east)," the buyer said.
Whatever cattle he couldn't fit on the truck would be kept on feed at the Muchea Livestock Centre waiting for the next truckload to go.
"I probably should have brought two trucks across," he said.
