IT'S been a mixed bag of results across the cattle markets in the past week and last week's public holiday is probably playing with the direction of the trends.
The Eastern Young Cattle Indicator was a few cents a kilogram dearer early this week, at 493c/kg (carcase weight), while NSW heavy steers were firm on about 300c/kg (liveweight).
The price gap between vealer steers remains wide and on Monday the vealer indicator in the south was 306c/kg, while in the north it was 272c/kg and in the central west it was 248c/kg.
It's interesting to note that as stock gets older the price gap narrows across the state.
One-brand weaner offering at Dubbo
WITH seaonal conditions not improving the Walker family of Coonamble and St George, Queensland, have decided to sell their complete drop of 2500 mixed-sex Angus/Santa Gertrudis weaners at Dubbo store sale on Friday, November 1.
P.T. Lord, Dakin and Associates agent, Tony Morcom, Dubbo, said the weaners would come off the Walker's three properties, Turilla and Cashmere West, St George and Notongong, Coonamble.
Originally the family had a Santa Gertrudis herd based on a good number of AA Company Santa Gertrudis cows and in recent years have progressively introduced Angus bulls predominantly from the Hanigan family, Hollywood Grazing, Coonamble.
The herd now comprises about 70 per cent Angus/Santa and 30pc Santa.
"The weaners are aged from eight to 14 months and in good store condition," Mr Morcom said.
"This is a great opportunity as it's the first time the family has had to bail-out like this. The whole drop will be offered and they haven't kept any calves."
Mr Morcom said the Walkers normally sell their prime stock through Dubbo and the processors and lot feeders love them because they perform very well.
"They are very good quality cattle which are good doers, so this makes for a unique opportunity for anyone who can grow them out and fatten them," he said.
"To my knowledge, these may be the biggest one-line of weaners bred by one family to go through Dubbo.
"If there have been others, I'm not aware of them."
Tamworth buyers bank on quality
BUYERS were by-passing condition and looked more for quality for the cow/calf portion at Tamworth store cattle sale last Friday when a yarding just a little more than 200 head met current prime market values.
Purtle Plevey Agencies director Patrick Purtle, Manilla, said with storms about the market would run out of cattle when graziers run out of feed.
"There was a reasonable crowd which was working out where the market is at, so animals of quality made for higher values," he said.
Angus steers sold to $685 for the O'Donnell family while Angus weaners, seven to nine month, made $570 a head for D. Hill, and EU accredited Angus-cross steers made $545 a head for Carl Green, Walcha.
Angus weaner heifers sold up to $505 while EU Angus and Angus-cross heifers of Mr Green made $495/head, and the Hill weaner portion sold for $465/head.
Some well-bred Angus cows with calves made $1040 when sold for the Pryce family, Stone House, Manilla, and 2017-drop Angus heifers of Glenmorgan blood, with calves at foot by Woonooka bulls from Hickmans Run, made $1010 a unit.
