WIDESPREAD rain fuelled a stronger market for young cattle at Tamworth last Friday, when weaner steers sold to a top of $1200 a head.
Almost 2000 head were yarded, and while rain made it difficult for some cattle to get to market, it had a big impact on prices, with the good quality young cattle – both steers and heifers – making $30 to $40 more than at the previous sale, according to agent Simon Burke, Burke and Smyth, Tamworth.
Plainer types of weaners were firm, along with most of the breeders.
Light weaner steers sold from $700 to $900, while the heavier steers sold from $1000 to $1280, up from $1140 at the previous sale, for steers from Dave Howlett.
The small number of yearling steers topped at $1240.
Tony and Jane Doolan, Wild Cattle Creek Station, Nowendoc, sold 54 seven- to nine-month-old Angus and Angus-cross weaners, topping at $1200 for pure Angus steers and $875 for the heifers. Their black baldy steers made $1150.
Among the bigger lines of young cattle were 300 yard-weaned mixed sex Angus and Angus-cross weaners from the Back Creek area which topped at $1090 for the steers and $830 for the heifers.
Liz, Elli and Meg Reid, “Dalveen”, Bendemeer, sold 50 mixed sex seven- to eight-month-old black Limousin/Angus-cross weaners, with the steers topping at $1160.
The Reids, who dispersed their herd following the recent sale of the property, also had some of the best young heifers, topping at $950 for weaners and $1080 for yearlings.
Pregnancy-tested-in-calf heifers sold to $1710 for 20- to 22-month-old Angus heifers from the Hough family, Armidale. They were in calf to an Angus bull and due to calve in July and August.
PTIC cows from the Reid family reached a top of $1580, with another pen selling for $1420.
Cows and calves reached a top of $1950 for a pen of mixed-age Limousin cows and with big calves at foot from Phil and Barbara Bricknell, King Creek Limousins, Currabubula.
The Reid family’s 57 mixed-breed cows and calves topped at $1800 for three-year-old black Limousin breeders.
Mr Burke said demand came from restockers and backgrounders for feedlots.
“The rain has given restockers a good outlook to plant oat crops and confidence in buying cattle knowing they’re going to have feed in the paddock going into winter.
“With better lines of weaners coming on the market in the next few months, I think the market will strengthen providing we have favourable seasonal conditions.”