Tamworth steers reach $1310 in a mostly firm market

The mixed quality yarding included about 1300 weaners and 400 breeders came from Tamworth, Manilla, Walcha and Gloucester.

Agent Chris Paterson, Chris Paterson Stock and Station Agent, Tamworth, said demand was mostly from restockers and backgrounders in the Tamworth region.

Mr Paterson said the steers were $10 to $20 a head cheaper than at the previous sale, with the dip mainly due to quality and the lack of big lines on offer.

It market was a stronger for the heifers, with the young females remaining firm on the previous sale.

Lightweight and middleweight weaner steers sold from $700 to $1000, while the heavier steers made between $950 and $1310.

The top weaners were weaned eight to nine-month-old Angus steers from Brett and Andrea Warden, “Bretandra”, Nundle, and Limousin steers from the same vendor reached $1300.

Yearling steers sold to a top of $1290, down from $1445 at the previous sale, for two pens of black baldy steers.

Lightweight and middleweight heifers made from $550 to $750, while the heavier heifers ranged from $700 to $1170 for Charolais/Santa Gertrudis-cross heifers from Bruce Russell, “Brubri”, Manilla.

Cows and calves sold to $2120 and pregnancy-tested-in-calf females reached $1900 for Angus cows in calf to Angus bulls, due to calve from July, from Springsure Angus, “Springsure”, Currabubula.

Mr Paterson said the sale was still quite strong, despite a dip in the market, but he expected the market to improve for the next sale following rainfall in the Tamworth area on sale day.

Some parts of the region received up to 55 millimetres of rain on Friday and Saturday.

“I think there were some buyers who were sitting back and just waiting to see what happened with the rain, but restockers will have some confidence after that rain, and we’ve still got a shortage of store cattle, so the market could rise a bit,” he said.