THE sniff of rain revved up buyer competition at the monthly store sale at Central Tablelands Livestock Exchange, Carcoar, last Friday.
It also reduced the number of cattle offered back to 1825 head from an expected 2433 head as some graziers kept cattle at home.
Unjoined Angus cows with their fourth calves at foot topped the market at $1510/unit, while the best of the weaner steers attracted bids as high as $1080 a head.
The buyers rail was filled with the regular local support and topped up by agents bidding on behalf of clients from Victoria, South Australia and orders from the North West and New England of NSW.
This extra competition pushed prices up about $100 on the young cattle and $200 for cows with calves.
The weaner steers weighing less than 200kg started at $190, but sold as high as $790 a head and in cents a kilogram the tops hit 438c/kg.
Most weaner steers from 200kg to 280kg sold from $600 to $890, although there were a few pens which reflected the tough season and sold below these figures.
Any weaner steers tipping the scales at more than 280kg sold from $760 to $1080, with many pens breaking through the $1000 a head mark.
A feature line of August/September-drop, 223kg, Alloura-, Cluden Newry- and Funny Hill-blood Angus weaners from James Carr, Funny Hill, Binda, sold for $880 a head. These were part of a much bigger draft from Funny Hill which were being sold earlier than normal due to the season.
The heifers sold from $240 for plain crossbreds to $990/head for top Angus heifers. The 400c/kg barrier was broken on one occasion, while the bulk of the better heifer calves sold from 250c/kg to 300c/kg with odd sales higher.
A limited number of pregnancy-tested-in-calf heifers sold from $800 to $1020, while PTIC cow prices crept a little higher and ranged from $980 to $1370 a head.
Unjoined cows sold better than recent store sales and made $855 to $890.
Most cows with calves sold above $1000 a unit. A few lighter and plainer cow units started at $700. The top pen of cows at $1510 were sold by DJ and JE Price, Blayney. This pen consisted of 10 unjoined Angus cows with 11 calves.
The sale was conducted by Central Tablelands Livestock Agents Association.