STRONG local demand from restockers and backgrounders helped the market remain firm at the Tamworth store sale on Friday, as a large number of western cattle were yarded.
The 3000-head yarding, one of the biggest store sales held in recent months, included cattle from the New England and Tamworth regions, as well as a number of lines from Coonabarabran, Coonamble, Rowena, Walgett and Brewarrina.
The market was firm for weaners and cows and calves, while the PTIC females were slightly cheaper, mainly due to the large number – about 600 – on offer, according to agent Simon Burke, Burke and Smyth, Tamworth.
Most weaner steers sold from $550 to $800, with the heaviest steers topping at $1180 for Angus steers from John Smith, “Glenunga Park”, Bendemeer.
Scott Ridley, “Talegar”, Coonamble, sold 100 eight to 10-month-old Santa Gertrudis/Angus cross steers topping at $1110. Limousin/Shorthorn cross steers made $1105, Angus, Charolais and Shorthorn-cross weaner steers from the Cox family, Quirindi, reached $1060, and 10-month-old Te Mania-blood Angus weaners made $1015.
In the heifers, most sold between $500 and $750, topping at $1070 for Charolais-cross heifers. Angus heifers from Wagstaff Grazing reached $890.
A line of top quality Angus heifers and calves from the Senior family, Brewarrina, topped the breeding units, making $2300.
Cows and calves reached $1960 for Santa Gertrudis cows with calves at foot by Limousin bulls, and also pregnancy-tested-in-calf (PTIC) to Fleckvieh bulls.
Among the bigger lines was the final run in the herd dispersal from Ian Klein, “Shayjarra”, Coonabarabran, who has sold cattle at the past three Tamworth sales following the sale of the property. Mr Klein’s 220 PTIC females topped at $1775 for three-year-old cows in calf to Angus and Santa Gertrudis bulls.
Mr Burke said demand was strong from the Hunter Valley and Tamworth region, with western producers taking advantage off the good season and offloading cattle from dry areas.
“The quality was there, but the condition wasn’t because of the dry season in the western areas and cattle coming from the New England due to being in winter, but we’re in a good spot with our season,” Mr Burke said.
“We had strong support from the Walcha, Armidale, the Hunter Valley, Tamworth and Gunnedah areas.”
Ian Morgan, Ian Morgan Livestock, said he expected the cattle market to remain strong.
“The demand is still coming from people with oats crops, and it’s still a good season for us. We had another 30 millimetres of rain only a fortnight ago.”
Ruth Schwager
Ruth Schwager is a journalist with the national agricultural features team.
Ruth Schwager is a journalist with the national agricultural features team.
