Tamworth's quality Angus steers up $19 a head as rain impacts the market

According to Meat and Livestock Australia's markets reporter, Steven Adams, young cattle provided the bulk of the numbers, with the sale of agistment cattle and a herd dispersal adding to the extras.

Vendors from Gowrie, Gloucester, Willow Tree, and Armidale.

Buying competition from the Queensland centres of Taroom and Roma, ensured solid buyer support. Solid demand also came from Narrabri, Gunnedah, and Moree, a number of backgrounders, and a processor seeking light veal suitable to the trade and local buyers.

Dearer trends prevailed for most of the sale, according to Garvin and Cousens, Andrew Warden.

Mr Warden said good, widespread rain across the region had boosted hopes for good winter forage crops and combined with "some really nice runs of cattle", bids flowed accordingly.

He said there were good buying opportunities for yearling steers priced between $700 and $900, while some of the heavier steers priced between $1000 and $1100 were ideal to go onto an oat crop.

The lead of the Angus steer weaners is $960 to $1360, up $19/head, with crossbred steers selling $760 to $1090/head.

Black baldy steers showed a notable increase in value, up $105 from $770 to $1030. Charolais steers were $137 better, making $700 to $1140, while yearling steers sold from $700 to $1358.

Some of the Angus steer portion of the Wilson family's Lowestoft herd dispersal made $1410.

Angus yearling steers, ideal crop cattle, sold on account Novar Partnership, Guyra, made $1330, while EU-accredited Angus cross steers sold on account Southwell Partnership, Bingara, made $1210.

Heifer results were mixed with plainer, lighter drafts that were selling at cheaper trends.

The lead of the Angus heifer weaners sold to $121/head dearer $860 to $1040/head.

"There were nice runs of black heifers that sold for $900 to $1000 as well as some lightweight heifers that could be put away to join later in the year," Mr Warden said.

A quality correction saw Charolais heifers slip $20/head, selling for $550 to $850. That being said, A and F Williams, Uralla, sold a pen of good Charolais cross heifers for $1060.

There were similar trends for black baldy heifers making between $550 to $850.

Yearling heifers sold for $1450/head. Cows and calves are $1340 to $1850/unit. Better ptic cows are $1000 to 1125/head, and the plainer types are $500 to $920/head.

CD and NM Pearson, Glenbrook, Armidale were vendors of about 100 Shorthorn and Santa cross mixed-sex calves from August to September, sired by Watasanta, Yamburgan, and Southcote shorthorn blood. Their top-priced pen of steers made $1130.

A quality pen of Bennaby blood Angus heifers made $900, account the Gum Hole Partnership, Manilla.

A sale feature was the complete dispersal of a herd of Angus and Shorthorn cross cattle offered by the Wilson family of Lowestoft, Gowrie. Selling agent Ben Goodman, a director of Ian Morgan Livestock, described them as a top-quality herd.

Mr Warden said light cows and calves were priced between $900 and $1100 and offered a buyer opportunity while several small pens of three to seven head made between $1300 and $1700.

Angus heifers, pregnancy-tested-in-calf (PTIC) to Wagyu bulls made $1925, while 2019 drop cows, PTIC made $1900 and 2020 drop Shorthorn cows made $1800.