COWS with calves sold beyond expectation and hit a market top of $4050 a unit at the Maitland Annual Spring Female sale at Maitland saleyards last Saturday.
Bowe and Lidbury agent Michael Easey, Gloucester, said the quality of the cattle offered was very good and the better seasonal conditions means females were in demand.
He estimated the cows with calves were as much as $250 dearer than recent strong store cattle sales at Maitland.
Overall the market trend was dearer for all categories offered.
The buyer competition was also far reaching with people attending the sale from as far south as Albury, but also Forbes, Dorrigo, Mudgee, the North West, Upper Hunter, and the local area.
About 100 weaner heifers from six to 12 months sold from $1050 to $1600 and averaged $1350. Mr Easey said weaners were about $100 dearer than the last store sale.
Unjoined heifers from 12 to 18 months attracted solid competition from restockers and sold from $1600 to $2250.
The average for unjoined heifers was about $200 dearer at $1850.
Eighteen-month to two-year-old, pregnancy-tested-in-calf heifers sold from $1750 to $2600 and averaged a hefty $2000.
Most PTIC heifers were $150 dearer.
Cows with calves sold like hot cakes and attracted bids from $2200 to $4050. Most were two- to 10-years-old and averaged $2900 a unit.
PTIC cows ranged from $1700 to $2400 for an average of $1850 which was about $100 dearer.
A small number of joined cows up to 10 years of age sold from $1580 to $2300 and averaged a healthy $1800.
Unjoined cows also sold well averaging $1700, but ranging from $1650 to $2200.
Boambee Angus, Seaham, sold excellent quality Angus cows with calves for $4050 to the Brown family of Clarence Town. These cows sold for the top price of the market.
Wallabrook Charolais, Hinton, sold a line of unjoined 12- to 14-month-old, Rosedale-blood Charolais heifers for $2250 to D and B McNamara, Lower Belford.
Ambiad Pty Ltd, Maitland, has a complete herd dispersal and its cows with calves averaged $3360 and topped at a pleasing $3750.
The sale was conducted by Bowe and Lidbury, Maitland.
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