PRICES for top quality weaner steers kept pace with the current market trend, while the rest of the weaner yarding was cheaper during the Dubbo store cattle sale last Friday.
All up, 975 head were offered and the bulk of those were weaners.
Meat and Livestock Australia market reporter David Monk said the very best of the weaners were about firm, although most were up to $60 cheaper.
"The best of the weaner steers were top quality Angus calves that made $1780," he said.
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He said there was a great consignment of well-bred Angus and Angus-cross calves from the Quambone and Coonamble districts.
MP O'Brien, Quambone, sold eight- to 10-month-old Angus steers for a top of $1780 and Elders agent Ben Marlin said this run was destined for the Inverell area.
He said similar-age heifers in a pen of 22 head sold by the same vendor made $1580.
Denison Partnership, Coonamble, sold six- to eight-month-old Angus steers in a run of 56 head for $1680. Their top pen of just a couple of steers sold for $1760. They also sold Angus/Bos Indicus heifers for $1310.
A feature line from Schneider Brothers, Geurie, of top quality young Hereford females pregnancy-tested-in-calf to Narranmore bulls made $2480. The draft of 43 heifers averaged $2400 a head.
Taking a closer look at the weaner steer breakdown across the weight ranges, less than 200 kilograms sold from $860 to $1300; those from 200kg to 280kg made $830 (for a pen of dairy calves) to $1680, and the 280kg to 330kg runs ranged from $1300 to $1780.
The better quality steers mostly made between 600c/kg and 713c/kg, while the plainer types sold from 460c/kg to 560c/kg.
Weaner heifers less than 200kg sold from $860 to $1300.
Most of the weaner heifers slotted into the 200kg to 280kg weight range and sold from $1000 to $1580.
Heavier weaner heifers, 280kg to 330kg, attracted bids from $1100 to $1410.
PTIC cows were limited in supply and sold from $1800 to $2300, while one pen of unjoined cows sold for $1250.
Only two pen of cows with young calves were offered and they sold from $2010 to $2250 a unit.
The sale was conducted by Elders, Landmark Milling Thomas and PT Lord, Dakin and Associates.
A more detailed report will appear in The Land newspaper print issue available at newsagents on Thursday.
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