A good-quality yarding of cattle kept prices firm throughout Myrtleford's feature female and weaner sale on Tuesday.
Agents yarded about 1650 cattle for the sale, which began with a significant run of female cattle, with the top price in that section going to Buffalo River vendor Yoralla for a pen of 11 heifer and calves that made $3425 a unit.
The cows and calves portion of the sale consisted of a lot of older stock that were being sold to make for younger stock on their farms.
NA Martin, Havilah, sold the top-priced cows and calves, selling 12 Hereford cows with calves at foot for $2800, while Dennis and Heather Toner, Barwidgee Creek, sold four cows and calves for $2540.
Weaner steers over 330 kilograms ranged between $1180-$1550 and didn't go any further than 370 cents a kilogram.
One of the heavier pens of steers belonged to RT Dale, Myrtleford, who sold five Angus steers for $1550 or 357c/kg.
Steers on the lighter end did push passed 400c/kg, with RC Rae selling two pens of 18 Angus steers each, 296kg and 309kg, both for $1255 or 423c/kg and 406c/kg respectively.
J & B Fraser sold 14 Angus steers, 283kg, for $1165 or 411c/kg.
Anne Brown sold 25 Angus steers, 275kg, for $1170 or 425c/kg.
Nutrien stock agent Wade Ivone, Myrtleford, said prices were as per expectations, with a few surprises.
"It was solid enough considering how the market has been," he said.
"While most prices were probably about where we expected, it was a touch better in a couple of places for some producers.
"I think mostly everyone walked away satisfied with their decision to sell here today."
READ MORE:
He said there were efforts by vendors to yard good-quality weaners for the sale, bucking the trend of mixed-quality yardings at other store sales in recent weeks.
"A lot of our producers you'll notice throughout the yard are fairly consistent in their bloodline in where you will get a lot of Alpine Angus or a lot of Murramungee Angus genetics," he said.
"These producers have been breeding the cattle for this particular sale for years now, and we continue to have the same names coming back every year."
Mr Ivone said there was also a focus from producers on breeding for the climate lately.
He said it encouraged a variation of buyers to show up which included commission buyers Duncan Brown, Andrew Lowe and Graham Ward and some agent buyers from the NSW Riverina.
"Along with those commission buyers, there was a lot of local agent and restocker support, and now is the time for them to step in and buy those lighter cattle before the winter sets in," he said.
"I think in the end everyone got their orders filled."
He said there was some uncertainty on where the market would end up, but much would depend on how producers handled cattle over the winter.
Peter Carney, Rosewhite, yarded over 70 cattle, and sold two pens containing 10 joined Angus heifers each, with one of those pens, 474kg, selling for $1860 or 392c/kg.
Stellar Livestock, Mudgegonga, sold 11 Angus heifers, 461kg, for $1720 or 373c/kg.
JN Carroll, Mudgegonga, sold 18 Angus heifers, 473kg, for $1560 or 329c/kg.
Colin Hall, Buckland Valley, sold one of the better pens of lighter heifers in the sale, with a pen of mixed Angus and Black Baldy heifers, 329kg, selling for $1070 or 325c/kg.
Many pens of lighter, secondary runs of cattle did struggle to get passed $1000 through the latter halves of the weaner steer and heifer sections of the sale.
