Once hailed as the largest one-agent store cattle market in the nation Tasmania’s Bothwell sale could mustered only 732 head on Thursday for its annual clearance of southern beef bred weaners.
NLRS reporter Richard Bailey said although numbers were smaller than usual, the quality of the yarding was outstanding with excellent drafts of Hereford, Angus and Black baldy calves.
North and northwest finishers and backgrounders were keen for their share, Roberts Limited auctioneer, Drew Skinner said.
One major exporter was also prominent and was the biggest buyers of steers and heifers to background.
South of Hobart breeder, Surveyor Bay was the largest supplier of black cattle. The Dover-based Angus vendor sold 150 steers to $1330 a head, average $1255 while JP Davies & Co, Ouse topped the market, at $1690, with a yard of Guildford Hereford steers, weighed at 390kg.
Heaviest steers made $1190-$1690 a head. These averaged 400-450c/kg while medium weights, 280-330kg, made $1070-$150 as most collected sale averages of 410-430c/kg, and up to 450-470c/kg for the lighter pens.
As with previous Tasmanian weaner sale this year, the percentage of heifers offered was also small as producers look to rebuild their builds.
Guildford Herefords topped heifer sales at $1670 as most found rates of 330-380c/kg while 59 Surveyors Bay Angus heifers made $1010.