With a yarding of 2124 cattle, the Tamworth Livestock Selling Agents Association's store sale on February 3, saw an improvement in prices from the first sale of the year.
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Garvin and Cousens' Phillip Hetherington said rainfall across the region had boosted confidence, with the bulk of the steers selling to mostly firm trends compared to the last sale. However, he said competitors were limited with the sale of plainer types available through the yarding.
Sale results for the better-bred weaners improved with competition from Taroom Queensland and for the heavier drafts of yearling steers supported by buyers from Forbes in the central West.
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Other competition came from Manilla and Narrabri as well as Guyra and a significant presence from Inverell taking big drafts of light weaners and yearling heifers.
Angus steer weaners ranged in price from $1250 to $1480 to $1640 for the top of the yearling steers. Charolais steers made $1600/head, and black baldies to $1540/head.
Yearling steers were the most numerous with 619 head yarded, and averaging 318 kilograms. They averaged 413.2 cents/kg for a dollar/head average of $1316.
In the weaner steer category, 266 head were offered with an average weight of 266kg. They averaged 38.7c/kg for an average of $1176/head.
The heifer market was more robust, with the Angus drafts at $1200/head for weaners and a standout sale for yearling Angus heifers at $1450/head.
Agents penned 315 weaner heifers with an average weight of 261kg, which sold for an average of 385.6c/kg and averaged $1031/head.
Yearling heifers were slightly more in numbers, with 324 averaging 342.42 c/kg for a c/kg average of 368.4. They averaged $1253/head.
Prices for cows and calves ranged from $1800 to $3120/head. Pregnancy-tested-in-calf (PTIC) Angus heifers sold to local interests for $1950/head, and PTIC Santa Gertrudis heifers sold for $1690/head. PTIC cows with calves at foot made $3650/head.
While demand for these categories was more robust, the numbers offered were in shorter supply. There were only 50 PTIC heifers, with an average body weight of 500kg. PTIC cows had an average weight of 557kg for the 67 offered. They averaged 357ckg for an average of $1998. Their cents/kg average was 342.5 to give a $1690/head average.
DR and Z Greenaway, Manildra offered 30 Simmental, Hereford and Santa Gertrudis-cross steers that made $1620.
C and B Clarke, Oakham, Narrabri offered 30 mixed-sex Angus weaners, Larrikin blood, with an average weight of 245kg, making $1400 for the steer portion.
Heather and Ken Charters, Abbotslea, Caroona, were looking for opportunities to feed on winter forage crops and bought a pen of 23 Angus steers for $1020.
Mr Charters said they had bought the steers; the next job was to plant winter forage oats, capitalising on recent good storm rainfall. He said they would also be looking for some young heifers as breeders.
Also on the hunt for replacements were John and Carrie Noble, Grassbrook Farming, Manilla. Mr Noble bought five pens of Santa Gertrudis heifers totalling 45, ranging in price between $1200 and $1975.
Simon Chamberlain
I have comprehensive experience in rural and regional journalism, as well as more than six years as a media officer for several politicians and worked in local government. I rejoined The Land in May 2022 and have loved being back in harness, reporting on a massive range of topics.
I have comprehensive experience in rural and regional journalism, as well as more than six years as a media officer for several politicians and worked in local government. I rejoined The Land in May 2022 and have loved being back in harness, reporting on a massive range of topics.
