Tamworth store cattle sale record broken as cows with calves reach $4375

The run of Angus cows, which were pregnancy-tested-in-calf (PTIC) and with calves at foot, offered by the Illife family, Carinya, Upper Manilla, topped last Friday's sale at $4375 a unit, toppling the existing Tamworth cow with calf record of $4325 set by Grovelands Agriculture, Currabubula, in July.

The draft was part of a limited offering of about 600 cows and calves at Friday's sale, of which prices ranged from the $4375 top, which was up from the $4000 top at the previous sale, to $3000, while most made $3500.

Chris Paterson Stock and Station Agency stock agent Chris Paterson, Tamworth, said the category was very strong and that the calves had Booragul and Booroomooka bloodlines.

"They were May-June calves, and the cows were back in calf again," Mr Paterson said.

"There was several pens of good young cows and calves that made $4000 or more, while good handy cows were making about $3500, so it was a very strong market."

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Other strong cow with calf sales included three runs of Angus-cross, Charolais-cross and Angus cows with calves offered by Belfields Grazing, Tamworth, which all sold for more than $4000.

In total, 2800 head of cattle were yarded for Friday's sale, which was up from 2500 at the last sale.

Despite steer numbers being back on the previous sale, prices strengthened as Angus steers offered by Myall Farm, Bithramere, topped the section at $2170 a head, which was up from $1970 at the last sale.

Mr Paterson said prices ranged from the $2170 top to about $1500.

"A lot of the good weaner steers were making around the $1700, $1800 and $1900 mark," Mr Paterson said.

"Little steers were still making $1500, so it was still very strong thanks in part to a lot of support from producers from the Northern Tablelands, who are just coming into their season and they helped the market a fair bit."

It was a similar story in the heifer category as a run of Angus heifers offered by Hunter Valley Premium Meats, Mayfield East, reached a top of $2230, which was up from $1960 at the last sale.

"There was about 1100 or 1200 heifers on offer and a lot of the weaner heifers were again making around the $1600 to $1700 mark," Mr Paterson said.

"You could buy some little heifers for around the $1400 or $1500 and they had a bit of quality about them."

PTIC cows were the only category at Friday's sale not to enjoy an uptick in prices, due to the limited amount on offer. Of the small yarding, Grovelands Agriculture, Currabubula, topped the section at $2500 a unit for Angus cows, which was down from the $3200 top at the last sale.

Two other drafts of Angus cows offered by Simon Burnett, Walcha and Blue Label Stud, Tamworth, also sold for more than $2400.

Prices in the category ranged from the $2500 top to about $2000.

The sale was conducted by the Tamworth Livestock Selling Agents Association.

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