A NEW record for cows and calves was set at the Tamworth store cattle sale on Friday.
The new Tamworth Regional Livestock Exchange (TRLX) record of $4325 a unit went to a pen of Angus cows, pregnancy tested in calf (PTIC) with a second calf, along with Angus-Simmental calves, which were offered by Grovelands Agriculture, Currabubula.
Friday's sale broke the previous benchmark of $4050 set last year by a run of Speckle Park cows and calves.
The record capped off an emotional time for the Filby family, which runs Grovelands Agriculture, as it was thought Brian and wife Janet Filby's time in Australia after moving from England to support their son on the Currabubula property eight years ago was set to come to an end due to a visa issue.
However, the issue was recently rectified, allowing the Filbys to remain in Australia and top Friday's sale, which featured a limited run of cows and calves that was significantly more expensive than the category's $3150 top a fortnight ago.
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Despite having limited numbers, the category was a highlight of the 1885 yarding, which was up from 1700 head a fortnight ago.
Steers made up the majority of the yarding and prices were slightly firmer as a run of Angus steers offered by G and N Nixon, Tamworth, topped the category at $1900 a head, up from $1890/hd at the last sale.
Nutrien stock agent Scott Simshauser, Tamworth, said the quality of the steers yarded was "a mixed bag", but most steers averaged around $1500.
"There was everything from average quality to very good quality steers, and the top feedlot-ready steers sold to $1900," Mr Simshauser said.
"There was a lot of steers you could by in that $1300-$1600 range and I think there was a bit of value there.
"I thought that market was reasonably firm on recent sales."
Meanwhile, the heifer category was also strongly represented at Friday's sale and was topped by two runs of Santa Gertrudis heifers out of Lyndhurst, Armidale, which sold for $1910 and $1900, up from the $1650 top at the last sale.
"It was a good yarding of heifers and those heifers that topped at $1910 were once again feedlot-ready heifers," Mr Simshauser said.
"A lot of the heifers were probably in that $1250 to $1600 range, so there was some good buying opportunities in the younger heifers.
"I thought there was some really nice Angus heifers in that $1300-$1450 range."
PTIC cows rounded out the yarding, reaching a top of $2925 for Angus PTIC cows offered by the Cant family, Manilla.
Another strong sale in the category included a run of Black Baldy PTIC cows from Maylan Ag, Spring Ridge, which fetched $2825.
"It was a very good yarding of PTIC cattle, topped at $2925," Mr Simshauser said.
"A lot of the PTIC heifers sold from $2300-$2800, all spring calvers and it was an overall really strong result."
The sale was conducted by the Tamworth Livestock Selling Agents Association.
Tamworth's next store sale will be held on July 30.
- Read the full report in the next edition of The Land.
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