Cow numbers in the area have steadily grown, but buying orders for calves are yet to catch up, and with a strictly local buying bench in place the big yarding was hard to absorb. Some quality lines could be picked up for very reasonable levels.
From the first pen the market was hard going, and good beef and exotic steers traded at $2.85-$3.10/kg, with medium types earning $3.00-$3.30/kg. The small calves sold up to $3.20-$3.60/kg, though this was reserved for very light lines. Very little separated the bulls from the steers, with prices similar. Dairy-beef, 150-170kg, managed just $420-$440.
The market continued to be tough into the heifer pens as heavy lines sold for $2.65-$2.80/kg, medium $2.80-$3.10/kg, and very light lines, $3.20-$3.40/kg. There was a good offering of nice young calves which traded around $450-$540.
A very small store section followed with features including in-calf Simmental-cross cows at $1.80/kg, and R2 Limousin steers, $2.80/kg.
