Weaner steers up to $40 a head dearer at Tamworth

Meat and Livestock Australia's Stephen Adams reported the yarding was good quality with weaners and yearling cattle making up the bulk of the draft.

He said better bred lines of weaner steers sold to strong competition with large drafts of Angus weaner steers up to $40 dearer.

Mr Adams said the tops of the yearling steers were up by $36 with demand from feedlots.

Heifers sold to solid demand but overall trended cheaper than two weeks ago.

Angus Newcombe, Newcombe Livestock and Property, said the market was very solid considering what was going on around the state.

Mr Newcombe said there were good runs of steers with plenty of weight and were well presented, which sold very well.

He said the heifer market was also very solid.

Cattle were drawn from the Horton Valley, Wee Waa, Bundarra, Walcha, Scone and Aberdeen areas.

Weaner steers weighing less than 280 kilograms sold for $510 to $1170 while weaner steers in the 280kg to 330kg weight range made $870 to $1310.

Heavier weaner steers weighing more than 300kg sold for $1180 to $1240.

Weaner heifers weighing less than 280kg made $495 to $760 and weaner heifers weighing more than 280kg sold for $620 to $940.

Yearling steers weighing less than 330kg made $720 to $1280 and heavier yearling steers more than 330kg sold for $1010 to $1310.

Yearling heifers made $650 to $1150.

Cows with calves sold for $1240 to $1680.

The top-priced weaners were from Turnbull Livestock, Eulorie, Upper Horton, who sold 28 Angus weaner steers for $1310.

Mike and Tracy Gooch, Jimarie, Wallabadah, sold 34 Angus weaner steers, with Hard Hat and Heart Angus blood, for $1290.

A line of 30 Santa Gertrudis/Hereford weaner steers from R Drew made $1240.

Shaldon Pastoral sold 15 Angus weaner steers, by Woonooka Angus bulls, for $1130.

The same vendor sold seven Charolais-cross weaner steers, by Woonooka Angus bulls, also for $1130.

A line of 30 Red Angus/Santa Gertrudis weaner steers from T and J Barwick sold for $1120.

Nagoora, Gunnedah, sold 30 Angus yearling steers for $1310.

In the heifers, Wilson, Wee Waa, sold eight Angus weaner heifers for $900.

Mike and Tracy Gooch, Jimarie, Wallabadah, sold 29 Angus weaner heifers, with Heart Angus blood, for $880.

The same vendor sold another 10 Angus-cross weaner heifers, with Heart Angus and Bowen Hereford blood, for $820.

Dempsey Pastoral Company, Nundle, sold 27 Angus weaner heifers, with Bookoomooka blood, for $800.

Cameron Partnership, Loomberah, sold 21 Angus heifers, with Millah Murrah blood, for $790.

Spring Hill, Bingara, sold 25 Angus weaner heifers for $710.

Julie and Steven Felton, Roseneath, Bendemeer, sold 75 Angus yearling heifers for $1150.

Strathaven, Walcha, sold 22 Charolais-cross yearling heifers for $770.

Drumalbyn, Ogunbil, sold 22 Angus cows with calves for $1950. The cows were first calvers and were also pregnancy-tested-in-calf to Hazeldean and Te Mania bulls.

Dennis Ward, Bingara, sold 20 Angus cows with calves, by Booragul Angus bulls, for $1675.

There was strong buying demand from Queensland with background cattle going to Meandarra, with strong competition also from Taroom and Inverell.

The sale was conducted by Tamworth Livestock Selling Agents Association.