Recent rain boosts confidence at Tamworth store cattle sale

Weaner steers less than 200 kilograms sold from $480 to $910, while those from 200kg to 280kg attracted bids from $400 to $1230.

The 280kg to 330kg weaner steers ranged from $910 to $1190.

Weaner heifers tipping the scales at less than 200kg were knocked down by the auctioneers for between $420 and $620, while the 200kg to 280kg lines sold for $600 to $860.

Weaner heifers weighing between 280kg and 330kg sold for $800 to $900.

A small yarding of yearling steers mostly sold just below the $1000 mark, although the top pen hit $1260.

Yearling heifers topped at $1140 for only a few pens offered.

Pregnancy-tested-in-calf females sold from $590 (for some light cows) to $1740 for well-bred Angus.

Cows with calves ranged from $1050 to $2080.

Michael Purtle from Purtle Plevey Agencies, Manilla, said it was a much more positive market across the 2500 cattle offered.

"Everything there today looks significantly, or at least marginally, better [than the last store sale]," he said.

"A lot of the similar Angus calves that you could have bought a fortnight ago for $750 to $850, well they were $900 to $1000 today, and the more you got up in the weights, the more you got up in the price."

He said the Angus calves topped the market, but there was value for buyers in the other lines of cattle, too.

"You could chip away here and buy a nice crossbred calf for just under $1000, perhaps around $920 to $940," he said.

Mr Purtle said there was more confidence in the heifer market and there was also a bit more weight in some of the pens.

Once again, he said there were some great buying opportunities in the heifers, such as 250kg to 260kg black heifers attracting bids from $820 to $860.

"Mind you, that is an improvement on where the job has been, but still looks a bit of value there based on quality," he said.

The sale was conducted by Tamworth Livestock Selling Agents Association.