Numbers dropped back a little for a yarding of 3600.

It was a much better quality yarding than the previous sales plain yarding with some good lines of well finished yearlings and grown steers most of which were grain assisted.

There was also a pretty good selection of cows yarded. The bulk of the yarding was sourced from local districts with only a few consignments from the far west which included loads from Fords Bridge, Broken Hill and Cobar along with some large consignments from Coonamble and Narrabri.

This sale was the first time the new yards just finished at Dubbo were used which allowed agents a far better opportunity to display their cattle to their fullest and eliminating mixed yards which in turn sped the sale process up. Congratulations to the owner of the yards the Dubbo City Council.

MLA market information advises that the prime heavy weight steer yearlings to the trade were a little dearer with the better quality available assisting in the rise. In line with most other major sales for the week though most of the young cattle to the trade were 12c to 15c cheaper with the dry seasonal conditions and the tougher meat  market combined with the higher value of the Australian dollar all factors in the tougher market. Prime steer vealers to the trade sold from 285c to 322c while the prime heifer vealers sold to 323c/kg. The prime steer yearlings sold from 264c to 308c with the heavy weights over 400kg averaging 296c while the prime heifer yearlings sold to 293c/kg.

Feeder steers were 5c to 8c cheaper while the feeder heifers were up to 20c/kg cheaper. The feeder steers sold from 258c to 318c with the large number over 400kg averaging 302c while the feeder heifers sold from 232c to 292c/kg.

There were limited numbers of young cattle suitable for the restockers yarded compared to the previous sale. The young restocker steers in the yarding were dearer selling to 337c while the young heifers to the restocker sold to 298c/kg.

Grown steers were 5c dearer due to solid competition from most of the regular operators with the prime medium and heavy weights selling from 268c to 306c with the large number of medium weights weighing between 500kg and 600kg averaging 283c/kg Grown steers to the feeders sold from 250c to 293c/kg. Grown heifers were 3c to 7c cheaper selling from 230c to 267c with the heavier weights over 540kg averaging 254c/kg.

Plainer conditioned cows to the processors were 13c dearer while the properly finished cows were 2c dearer with once again the better quality of the yarding having an effect. 2 score cows to the processors sold from 164c to 209c while the better 3 and 4 scores sold from 190c to 242c with the prime heavy weights averaging 231c/kg. A limited selection of plainer condition cows for the restockers sold from 150c to 208c/kg.

Bulls were 7c cheaper with the better muscled and properly finished bulls selling from 224c to 264c to average 246c while the young bulls to the restockers sold from 178c to 262c/kg.