BUYERS at the Virbac Weaner Challenge and Feature Sale in Tamworth are always assured of a quality line-up of cattle, but this year's yarding surpassed all expectations.
Ian Morgan Livestock principal and Tamworth Livestock Selling Agents Association president, Ian Morgan, said last Friday's sale was one of the most outstanding line-ups of cattle in Tamworth for a long time, if not ever.
The supply of cattle was also up, with a record 7000 head resulting in the auction still going as the sun started to set.
For the top end of the weaner steers, the market was about $200 a head dearer than the last sale, while weaner heifers attracted plenty of restocker bidding, pushing prices for the top pens up another $380.
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The middle run of cattle were about firm on past sales.
Most of the better well-grown pens of weaner steers started at $2000 and topped at $2495.
The top pen was unweaned Angus steers sold by Mountview Ag, Bendemeer, for $2495 through McCulloch Agencies.
The champion pen of weaner steers, judged by Australian Livestock and Property Agents Association chief executive Peter Baldwin, went to George and Ali Duddy, Hudson, Willow Tree, for 15 nine-month-old Texas-blood Angus steers. The weaners were straight from their mothers and sold for $2450.
Mr Duddy said the steers were by Texas Angus bulls from Hudson Station cows.
He said the win was a credit to the hard work of the generations before him, his grandfather and great grandfather, and even more special since the passing of his father, Robert, last year.
Judge Mr Baldwin said the winning pen was a manifestation of everything one would expect to see in a champion pen of weaner steers.
"These steers are so true to breed, they are a credit to the vendors in terms of their selection of bulls, and you can just sense that 'blue-blood' genetics in these calves from generations of breeding in their cow herd," he said.
"They have a beautiful sense of consistency about them and in any saleyard they are a standout."
Runner-up pen of weaner steers was sold by W and DE Plevey, Manilla, for $2310.
The pen was made up of 30 Charolais-cross steers that were bought by a feedlot.
The champion and runner-up pen of weaner heifers were sold by the Anthony Haling, Hillside Park, Woolbrook. Both pens were about eight months old by Texas Angus bulls.
The top heifers sold for $2300, while the runner-up pen made $2290.
Purtle Plevey principal Patrick Purtle, Manilla, said the market held up remarkably well given the number of cattle offered at the sale.
"There were some beautiful quality cattle here and there's also been some value there for people who want to buy in at that $1800 to $2000 range for steers," he said.
He said there was also excellent value in the heifers for the pens making $1500 to $1700.
"There was also something there for everyone - from good, big, heavier weaners through to pens of little lighter ones," he said.
Yearling steers sold to a top of $2580 and those steers were Angus sold by D and R Travenen, Binowee, Walcha.
Cows with calves sold towards the end of the sale were in demand and made well above the $3000 a unit mark across the offering.
The top pen was Angus cows with calves which had been running with Woonooka bulls sold by Col Sherman, Bendemeer, for $3975 as part of a herd dispersal.
Pregnancy-tested-in-calf females sold to a firm market trend and topped at $3525.
Chris Boman, Manilla, sold the top PTIC heifers which were Angus in calf to low birth weight bulls.
The sale was conducted by Tamworth Livestock Selling Agents Association.
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