Almost 4000 head at Tamworth as market remains firm with strong Qld support

Ray White Rural, Tamworth's Scott Simshauser said the yarding of 3962 head, including a draft of 1600 steers," held firm on prices at the previous fortnightly store sale.

Feeder operators and backgrounders provided strong competition for an offering of 3962 good quality store cattle at Tamworth.

Included in the offering were drafts of yearling and heifer weaners, as well as cows and calves.

Cattle offered for sale were sourced from around Tamworth, Gloucester, Gulgong, Barraba, Walcha and Narrabri.

There was strong buying competition from the Queensland centres of Taroom and Goondiwindi, selling mainly to producers aiming to background cattle.

There was competition from the Dubbo and Dunedoo districts and considerable demand from various feeder orders.

The best yearling steers ranged in price between $1000 and $1500/head, translating to $45 to $73/head dearer.

The lead of the weaner steers $810 to $1380, selling to much dearer trends with many drafts in the vicinity of 375c to 463c/kg.

Towri Partnership, Towri, Manilla sold Charolais x Droughtmaster & Hereford x Droughtmaster steers, aged seven to eight months, for $1180.

Peter Murphy, Loomberah sold two pens of Santa Gertrudis steers with plenty of weight and good. frames. One pen of 19 made $1400, and another of 10 made $1300.

RH and CL Lummis, Niangala, offered drafts of 35 Angus steers and 40 heifers, aged seven to nine months, that made $1385 and $1350 for two pens of steers.

Southwell Grazing, Upper Horton sold Texas Angus and Sara Park blood, EU accredited steers up to $1230 for the lead pen and $1170 for the second draft. Their lead pen of heifers, which averaged 260 kilograms, made $900.

Rod Blomfield, Mount Olive, Singleton, paid $1360 for a pen of Heart Angus blood steers offered by NT and E Higgins, Nowendoc.

Market reporter, Steve Adams said yearling heifers to a mostly cheaper trend with Angus heifers back $90/head $900 to $990/head. A lack of quality set the pace.

Some drafts of weaner heifers were dearer, with light heifers at $33/head dearer $480 to $930/head, and Speckle Park heifers significantly dearer $650 to $710/head.

A lack of quality affected the cow and calf market, with all categories selling at a cheaper rate of $527 to $923/unit.

Mr Simshauser said the heifers topped at $1290 for a pen offered by Ross Hill Pastoral, Bundarra.

"But, due to seasonal conditions, many of the heifers sold in the $400 to $650 range. The quality was there, but they were a bit light in weight," he said.

He said about 300 cows and calves were offered, which topped at $2060.

"Most sold between $1500 and $1800."

D Ward, Noroo, Bingara dispersed his herd with two-year-old cows with calves at foot, sired by Booragul Angus bulls, made $2000, while cows and calves from the same vendor, aged seven to nine years, made $1650.

Pregnancy-tested-in-calf females offered by Wyambee, Manilla, set the pace with the first pen of 13 Angus second calf cows, making $1360, while a second pen made $1320.

Mr Simshauser said PTIC cows sold to $2490/unit and other cows and calves $1100 to $1730/unit.

"Store condition, dry cows sold in the $800 to $1100 range," he added.