HEIFERS in outstanding quality lines were again the highlight of a very solid Tamworth store cattle sale last Friday of 2100 head with agents quoting the market as fully firm.
Competition was strong for the drafts of Angus, Simmental and Droughtmaster-cross weaners sold for Barry and Kay Pratten, Red Rock, Dungowan, with steers topping the market at $1290.
Mr Pratten said it was the best money he and Kay had ever made for their calves, going well above their previous top price of some $900.
Their crossbred calves, straight off their mothers weighed an estimated 260 to 280 kilograms live.
The strong opening continued throughout the sale with the better steer calves making upwards of 600 cents/kg buoyed by good competition of buyers from the Northern Tablelands, Gunnedah, Narrabri and local districts.
The 30 vealer steers sold to a top of $1300 for Vena Park blood Hereford steers, eight months-old sold for Huxley family, Wallabadah, and averaged $1250.
Weaner steers sold to $1260 a head and yearling steers to $1590/hd for Angus feeders weighing approximately 400kg offered by the Lummis family, Walcha.
Simon Dent, Braeside, Tewinga, sold nine Brangus steers at $1350/hd while Spring Valley, Guyra, gained $1280 each for 13 Angus-cross yearling steers and $1260 each for 12 Euro-cross steers.
A total of 1145 steers sold on the day averaging $1003.
Charolais heifer weaners sold to $1300 for Namoi Pty Ltd, Bundella, while a single pen of yearling Droughtmaster heifers made $1500 and Simmentals to $1410/hd.
John and Marissa Ham, Undarra, Niangala, gained $1170/hd for 11 Angus weaner heifers. The 740 heifers averaged $990.
Seventy pregnancy-tested-in-calf cows averaged $1400 and sold to $1870 for Shorthorn heifers in-calf to low birthweight Shorthorn bulls commencing to calve in June, offered by David Tracey, Bostobrick, Dorrigo.
There was a limited number of cows with calves totalling 90 units with the top selling at $2000 (ave $1925) for Angus heifers with calves at foot offered by the Rodgers family, The Wendron, Hanging Rock.
Twenty-three cows made up to $1750 to average $1600.