ABOUT 5500 quality young cattle attracted strong demand at the Central Tablelands Livestock Exchange, Carcoar, Autumn Classic Weaner Sale on Friday.
Across all weight ranges the cattle were dearer than the February special weaner sale at CTLX.
Most weaner steers tipping the scales at less than 200kg sold from $545 to $1020 a head and in cents a kilogram (liveweight) that worked out at between 404c/kg and 576c/kg, according to Meat and Livestock Australia figures.
The 200kg to 280kg weaner steers sold from $930 to $1325 with the bulk of that weight range coming in at 458c/kg to 543c/kg and averaging 499c/kg.
Weaner steers heavier than 280kg ranged from $1226 to $1500 which worked out at about 442c/kg to 489c/kg.
The light weaner heifers at less than 200kg sold from $600 to $1080 with many averaging about 440c/kg.
Most of the 200kg to 280kg weaner heifers sold for $770 to $1200 and averaged 440c/kg, although there were some pen selling as high as 500c/kg when worked out in cents a kilogram.
Most of the weaner heifers heavier than 280kg sold from $1190 to $1200, but there was one pen weighing 353kg that sold for $1380 a head.
The pen which made $1380/head were 353kg Angus-cross heifers sold by PM and A Chalker, Cowra, through Allan Gray and Company, Cowra.
"In general, there were lots and lots of good quality black weaners weighing in at 250kg to make around the $1200 mark, or either side of it," said Ray White Emms Mooney director Ben Emms, Blayney.
Today was also the first sale at CTLX implementing the new access restrictions announced earlier this week to ensure the safety of those considered essential to sale proceedings and the continuation of saleyards as an active and critical link in the food supply chain at this unprecedented time.
The StockLive online streaming and bidding platform also helped to ensure strong bidding throughout the sale, attracting 445 viewers and 30 bidders who participated remotely to secure a portion of the line-up of weaners.
"There were a few disappointed people who were turned away when they tried to sign in, but the changes were generally well-accepted and the sale flowed really well," Mr Emms said.
"There were no ifs, buts or maybes and it really showed the saleyards industry can make it work if people give it a bit of thought, get with the program and stay on board.
"I thought that for a major sale like this it showed this can be replicated anywhere around the country and that we can certainly make it work over the ensuing couple of months."
The top priced pen at $1500/head was a line of 25 Angus-cross steers weighing 307kg which were sold by Kathryn Ashley through Elders.
The sale was conducted by Central Tablelands Livestock Agents Association.
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