A WARM end to July caused prices to remain firm at Friday's Tamworth store cattle sale.
Buyers were greeted to a total yarding of about 2500, up from 1900 at the last sale, and while the cow with calf market stole the show a fortnight ago, it was the heifers turn in the spotlight.
A run of August-September drop Angus heifers offered by Glister Pty Ltd, Woolbrook, topped the category at $2140 a head, which was up from the $1910 top set at the last sale.
The top-selling pen of heifers with Rennylea blood and out of Nimmitabel cows was purchased by a Walcha producer, while a separate pen of related heifers was purchased by Nutrien Wagga for a Riverina producer for $1980.
The two pens were the most expensive heifers sold on the day with the next best pen selling for $1910.
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Steers were slightly dearer from the last sale, topping at $1950 for a pen of Hereford steers sold by the Hann family, Upper Horton, up from the $1900 top two weeks ago.
The top-selling run was one of five that sold for more than $1900, however it was the only run that wasn't Angus as pens sold by Kildare, Upper Horton ($1930) and Glister Pty Ltd ($1900) were among the top-selling Angus steers.
After setting a new Tamworth Regional Livestock Exchange record of $4325 a unit a fortnight ago, the cow with calve market was back to a top of $3550 for a run of Santa Gertrudis/Hereford heifers with calves at foot offered by Bradfield Pastoral, Dungowan.
Other strong sales included a run of Angus cows rejoined to a Hereford bull offered by CTK Cattle Company, Barraba, which sold for $3225 and a run of Angus-cross heifers with cows from St Elmo Pastoral Company, Blackville, which sold for $3125.
A limited number of pregnancy-tested-in-calf (PTIC) heifers were up for bids, but prices remained firm, with a run of PTIC Angus heifers offered by the Morris family, Tamworth, topping at $2680.
The top price was back from the $2925 peak at the last sale, but prices remained consistent as a run of PTIC Angus heifers offered by St Elmo Pastoral Company, Blackville, went for $2575, while a pen of Charolais from Grampian Hills, Bunnan, sold for $2180.
The sale was conducted by the Tamworth Livestock Selling Agents Association.
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