THE first store sale at Forbes since April 2019 attracted possibly the largest crowd of restockers and agents seen at the Central West Livestock Exchange on Friday when yarding 1500 head.
Another first was the interfacing of the live sale with StockLive which lifted prices though online bidding.
Increasing the sale's awareness was the introduction of a best presented pen award sponsored by Beechport Liquid Minerals.
The award for the best presented pen of cows with calves went to Dick Hawken, Thurlestone, Cookamidgera, for his pen of 14 Angus/Santa Gertrudis cows of four to seven years with some excellent Charolais calves at foot up to three months of age. The pen sold at $3140 a unit to Keswick Pastoral Company, Bogan Gate.
Cows with calves sold to a top of $3640 for a pen of Noonee blood Angus cows, five to six years, with calves at foot at also PTIC to Noonee bulls red by Moora Moora Partnership, Forbes, and selling to an Orange restocker.
Luke Whitty of Kevin Miller Whitty Lennon and Company, said the large crowd was made up of restockers and agents from some 200 kilometres radius of the yards and a lot were looking for females to join to rebuild herd numbers.
"The cow/calf market was very successful ranging in priced from $2500 to $3640 and there were not too many units that sold under $2800," Mr Whitty said.
"Preg tested cows topped at $2400and ranged from $1800 for PTIC heifers to the best four-year-old cows at $2400."
Mr Whitty said heifers sold from 450 cents a kilogram live while the smaller heifers were pushing the 700c/kg mark.
"Heifers made from $1000 to $1800 with the majority selling between $1300 and $1500.
"Most feeder or yearling heifers were $1500 to $1800 while the little weaners were around the $1100 to $1400 mark."
Steers ranged from $1200 to $1700.
Tim Mackay of Forbes Livestock and Agency, said the market was "pretty firm" on recent sales.
"Outside agents here today said the sale was very firm of other markets around the regions and secondary cattle sold firm to a bit dearer," Mr Mackay said.
"The good cattle seemed to be making what they'd make everywhere else.
"The additional room with the new cattle yards made the yarding much more attractive."
- Full report in The Land February 28 edition.
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