![Stuart Muller, “Nunya”, Forbes, with buyers Karl Tulloch and son, Charlie, 10, “Argyle”, Wyalong, and the cow units that sold for $950 at Forbes on Friday. Stuart Muller, “Nunya”, Forbes, with buyers Karl Tulloch and son, Charlie, 10, “Argyle”, Wyalong, and the cow units that sold for $950 at Forbes on Friday.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-agfeed/2056207.jpg/r0_0_1024_678_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
MARKET values increased in all categories with cow and calf units up to $160 while steers and heifers rose by as much as 40 cents and 20 cents a kilogram respectively at the Forbes store cattle sale last Friday.
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The smaller yarding of 1000 head met mainly local competition with restockers (breeders and fatteners) from Young, Canowindra, Cumnock and Eugowra's Gundamain feedlot.
Results pleasantly surprised vendors and agents as prices way surpassed pre and post-Christmas prime cattle sale values.
V. C. Reid and Sons agent Scott Reid said he was quietly surprised by the result, especially with the way the "prime job" had been going.
"Quality of cows and calves was good which certainly helped them sell to a top of $950, but the bit of rain may have helped the job as well," he said.
"Cow and calf unit values were up by $60 to $100. Steers topped at $560, but the majority sold at the $300 to $430 mark.
"Heifers were the category that really surprised selling at the 150c/kg mark.
"They normally take the brunt of it at prime markets."
Kevin Miller Whitty Lennon and Company agent Paul Breen, said values far surpassed prime sales before Christmas and even early January sales.
"I'd quote the run of cows and calves at $160 a head better than Carcoar before Christmas," he said.
"I bought good old Angus cows and calves cows today for $700.
He said restocker steers sold for about 170c/kg while heifers made from 130c/kg to 150c/kg.
Cow and calf units topped at $950 for a pen of 19 2007-drop Santa Gertrudis cows, with four- to five-month-old Santa calves at foot.
They were among the last clearance of stock from "Nunya", Forbes, recently sold by Stuart Muller and family and purchased by Wyong district commercial Santa Gertrudis breeder, Karl Tulloch, who was keen for them to become a part of his herd.
Two pens of 2011-drop Angus cows with calves also offered by Mr Muller made $810 and $800 for the 13 when bought by Lake Cargelligo restocker Steve Ireland for his family's "Hyandra" herd.
Murki Partnership, Boomi, sold 12 eight- to 10- month-old Hereford-cross steers at 172c/kg, making $490 a head.
Mr Breen said another pen of 14 steers, 20kg to 25kg lighter, made the same money which made them 190c/kg to 192c/kg.