Increased northern competition drove store cattle prices seriously higher at the b-monthly NVLX Barnawartha store cattle sale on Thursday.
With repeat buying from the Bathurst in central NSW in strong support and new orders placed from as far north as Armidale in the New England, steer prices in particular rose by 30 to 50c/kg on the previous fortnight’s sale while values for cows and calves improved by $200 to $300 a head.
Local buying was at the forefront of cow and calf buying. These were most sold in a range between $900 and $1200 per outfit compared to $600 to $900 price range of the previous sale.
The market for steers was mostly based on a price range of 290 to 330c/kg for much of the yarding. Admittedly, quality was considerably improved with a good supply of annual breeders drafts included that provided heavier weights from 300 to 360kg.
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The market for unjoined heifers, although stronger, did not display the same price rise as steer sale. Nonetheless, prices were improved by about 10c/kg, which saw most of the larger and heavier pen-lots of weaner heifers sold in the 255-265c/kg price range.