The first sale for a fortnight due to the Australia Day break produced a larger yarding of 5130.

It was a fair quality yarding with a large numbers of young cattle suitable for the feeders and backgrounders.

There was a good selection of grown steers and cows and only a limited numbers of ideal trade cattle. Despite the very hot conditions throughout the week there were still some consignments from the far west with loads coming from Wanaaring, Cobar, Bourke, and Carinda, as well as Bylong, Mudgee, Tambar Springs, along with the usual local consignments. There were though, due to the hot weather, some cancellations from the Broken Hill district.

MLA market information advises young cattle to the trade were 4c to 9c dearer with steer vealers selling from 335c to 355c while the prime heifer vealers sold from 342c to 353c/kg. Prime steer yearlings sold from 315c to 355c while the prime heifer yearlings sold from 285c to 336c with the heavier weights over 400kg averaging 311c/kg.

Feeder steers were 2c to 5c cheaper while in contrast the feeder heifers were up to 12c/kg dearer with a number of operators securing numbers with the thought that there will be a shortage of cattle as we come into the autumn and winter months.

The feeder steers sold from 305c to 350c with the large number of prime steers over 400kg averaging 337c/kg. The feeder heifers sold from 298c to 339c with the heavy weights averaging 324c/kg.

Young cattle to the restockers sold to very keen competition with young steers selling from 319c to 514c with the lightweights less than 200kg averaging 506c while the young heifers to the restockers sold from 310c to 446c/kg.

Grown steers were 9c to 10c dearer with the prime medium and heavy weights selling from 282c to 315c with the larger number of medium weights weighing between 500kg and 600kg averaging 304c/kg. Grown steers to the feeders sold from 296c to 338c/kg. Grown heifers were dearer for the lighter weights and cheaper for the heavy weights selling from 275c to 306c with the heavier weights over 540kg averaging279c and the lighter weights 294c/kg.

Cows were 3c to 6c cheaper with the 2 scores to the processors selling from 200c to 223c/kg.  There were a couple of fresh restocker orders with the restockers paying from 221c to 259c/kg. The better 3 and 4 score cows sold from 212c to 249c with the 4 score heavy weights averaging 240c/kg.

Bulls were a little dearer with the well-muscled heavy weights selling from 240c to 254c/kg. The restockers were active on the young bulls paying from 222c to 376c/kg. There was no activity from the live exporters.