PROSPECTS of more rain could have added to the strong store cattle market at Forbes last Friday where 1400 head were yarded and sold in one of the better sales since autumn, according to selling agents.
Cows with calves were at the forefront of sales for buyers, suggested by agent, Luke Whitty of Kevin Miller Whitty Lennon, as one of the largest crowds he had seen in a couple of months, with values jumping by upwards of $100 a unit on the previous sale.
“The market was considerably better for cow/calf units and firm to dearer for younger weaner stock,” Mr Whitty said.
Forbes Livestock Agency’s Tim Mackay, said young cattle values could have increased by as much as $50 upwards.
“Weaners and yearlings were making as much as they were back in autumn,” he said.
Weaner steers (not many over 300 kilograms livewight) sold from $700 to $1150 (350c/kg to 380c/kg), heifers $500 to $950 (290c/kg to 330c/kg). Pregnancy-tested-in-calf mixed-age cows $1200 to $1500, young to medium cows with calves $1750 to $2500, older mixed-ages $1400 to $1800.
Drafts of 100 Angus cows with Angus calves of The Glen and Hollywood blood sold for the estate of late Elizabeth Nash, “Packwood”, Condobolin, made from $1400 to $2500 for first and second calvers, and third and fourth calvers also PTIC.
Nineteen cows from Warwick Marsh, “Borapine”, Condobolin, with first calves sold at $1960 while Max Granston, “Smithfield”, Eugowra, gained $1950 for 10 Santa Gertrudis /Angus cows with second calves.
Dale and Kathy Curtis, Trundle, sold Angus/Santa Gertrudis steer calves, 10 months, to $1100 while six to seven month-olds made up to $1000 and same aged heifers to $790.
PTIC Shorthorn cows with calves sold for Matthew Passmore, Forbes, made $1430 a unit. Ben and Wendy Rix, Bogan Gate, sold 15 Angus-cross steers, eight to 10 months, up to $1050 and heifers at $750.