It's now 7pc below that of August last year.

Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA) says the dry conditions have forced additional numbers of cattle onto the market, while feeder and restocker demand has weakened further.

In addition, the quality of cattle coming forward for sale is declining, especially through the yards.

In contrast, over-the-hooks prices are holding, with some good lines of supplementary and crop-fed cattle on offer.

MLA says producers appear to be getting increasingly anxious about the season, especially following the run of disappointing springs this decade.

The continued weak export beef scene and rising $A are also not helping, with no sign yet of the normal seasonal demand firming from Japan and Korea, as they move towards their October to December peak demand period.

LAMB:

Lamb markets, in contrast, bounced again this week, having fallen sharply over the past month.

The Eastern States Trade Lamb Indicator rose 4pc, to 444¢/kg cwt, having fallen 15pc over the previous four weeks.

WA lamb prices, however, have remained at record levels (trade lambs at 590¢/kg cwt, for instance), despite higher lamb supplies in WA.

National mutton sheep prices were steady this week, with the national indicator at 282¢/kg cwt, 55pc above that of August last year – reflecting the strong Middle East demand and a 36pc year-on-year fall in mutton sheep yardings.