WIDESPREAD rain and a drop in store cattle numbers kept prices high at the Tamworth store sale last Friday, despite a mixed to plainer yarding.
The 1200-head yarding included about 600 steers, 350 heifers, 70 cows and calves and 120 PTIC females,
Cattle came from a large area, from Narrabri in the west to Bingara and areas in the New England and Hunter Valley.
Agent Scott Simshauser, Landmark Tamworth, said the market was strong, about $50 dearer for all categories compared to the previous fortnightly store sale.
“The cattle were certainly still buyable, but most categories saw an increase and buyers were happy to pay a bit more,” he said.
Weaner steers weighing from 160 kilograms to 180kg sold from $540 a head to $790, medium weight steers weighed from 190kg to 220kg and made between $720 and $880, and heavy weaner steers weighing between 230kg and 300kg ranged from $840 to $1080.
Lightweight weaner heifers sold from $460 to $590, middleweight weaners ranged from $620 to $720 and the heaviest weaner heifers made between $700 and $960.
Yearling steers averaged $980 and topped at $1200 for Hereford steers from Nick Kelly, Barraba. Mr Kelly also had the top yearling heifers that sold for $1000. Yearling heifers average $880.
Cows and calves topped $1750 and averaged $1450 and PTIC females sold to a top of $1260 and average of $990.
Mr Simshauser said demand came from restockers throughout NSW and into Queensland, with cattle going to the Hunter Valley and New England and north to Blackall.
“The buyers were all restockers wanting to use their feed after recent rainfall.”
