The scarcity of store cattle, especially given recent rainfall, meant there were no bargain buys at the Gunnedah store sale on Thursday as cow and calf prices soared to $3600/unit.
Played out before a backdrop of brewing storm clouds, the smaller yarding of 500 head still drew a crowd of local buyers who knew there would be no discounts on the quality offering when the first pen of Angus steers sold for $1200/head.
Of the mostly lightweight steers available, the top money of $1395/hd was paid for a pen of better conditioned Charolais steers sold by Purtle Plevey with little on offer under $1200/hd.
Heifers weren't far behind with 10-month-old weaner Angus heifers from PJ and JM Moses, Kanowna, Mullaley, reaching $1295/hd and their F1 portion making $1220/hd.
Buyers consistently paid between $1100-$1200/hd for the limited females on offer.
Prices didn't falter in the cow and calf offering with 24 top quality two-year-old Angus heifers and their one-to-three-month-old calves topping at $3600/unit.
They were offered by LF, RJ and PJ Reid who were completely dispersing after the sale of their property.
It marked the second monthly store sale for the year after making a welcome return in October following the prolonged drought.
Duty agent Tim Walsh of Ray White Fleming and Ross Gunnedah said it had been 12 to 18 months since store sales had been run at Gunnedah.
This time it was the improved conditions and reduced herd numbers that were making it hard to find store stock available.
"It is very hard to find store cattle but what was here; there was a great run of cows and calves off of a dispersal sale plus a lot of light weight steers and heifers," he said.
"It was very strong as it is everywhere.
"I think it's on par...anywhere in the north west it's been very strong for months especially when you are standing with thunder behind us."
The next store sale will be held on the first Thursday in December.
Lucy Kinbacher
Raised on a cattle property at Biggenden, Lucy Kinbacher has spent 10 years working across metropolitan, regional and rural publications in both Queensland and NSW. Lucy has been the editor of the Queensland Country Life and North Queensland Register since 2021.
Raised on a cattle property at Biggenden, Lucy Kinbacher has spent 10 years working across metropolitan, regional and rural publications in both Queensland and NSW. Lucy has been the editor of the Queensland Country Life and North Queensland Register since 2021.
