QUALITY restocker cattle were in demand during the Central Tablelands Livestock Exchange, Carcoar, store cattle sale last Friday with many of the top lines of weaners climbing above $1000 a head.
Agents were encouraging restockers to buy now rather than risk a dearer market in January, particularly if there’s widespread rain between Christmas and new year.
The sale also included some outstanding pens of dispersal cattle from Woodstock and Condobolin.
All up 3410 head were offered and the figures from National Livestock Reporting Service suggest the market was as much as $80 to $120 dearer than the November store sale.
A highlight in the first part of the sale was the competition for weaner steers – those weighing less than 200kg averaged about 400 cents a kilogram, while most pens from 220kg to 280kg averaged 300c/kg to 320c/kg.
Sold in dollars a head, the weaner steers less than 200kg ranged from $140 to $670 and those from 200kg to 280kg sold from $615 to $920.
The heavier weaner steers (280kg to 330kg) were all presented well and sold from $890 to $1060.
Light weaner heifers sold from $150 to $520 with condition a determinate of price. The weaner heifers tipping the scales between 200kg and 280kg sold from $370 to $735, while most of the heavier weaner heifers were knock down for $660 to $750.
The bulk of the yearling steers weighted in at less than 330kg and sold from $580 to $1045. A few heavier pens of yearlings sold from $1035 to $1120.
There were not many light yearling heifers (less than 330kg) offered, but those penned up sold for $500 to $860.
Yearling heifers from 330kg to 400kg attracted prices from $690 to $985 and those any heavier sold to $1050 a head.
Pregnancy-tested-in-calf females sold from $800 to $1500, while unjoined cows topped at $820.
Cows with young calves started at $700 and sold to a top of $1475 a unit.
The cows with older calves (two to four months) were in demand and ranged from $800 to $1875. One pen of PTIC Charolais cows with bigger calves sold for $1375 a unit.
The sale was conducted by Central Tablelands Livestock Agents Association.