DESPITE the seasonal conditions remaining dry and the fact that there is no sale next week due to Easter, numbers were down by 1300 at Dubbo this morning, for a yarding of 3115 head.

Once again there was a large influence of far western cattle with further consignments from Broken Hill, Tibooburra, White Cliffs, Carinda, Coonamble and local districts. Combined with these plainer lines of cattle there was still a good selection of prime cattle in all sections.

MLA’s market information indicates young cattle to the trade were firm to 4c cheaper with vealers selling to 320c for the steers and 309c/kg for the heifers. Prime steer yearlings sold to 315c with the heavier weights over 400kg averaging 301c/kg. The prime heifer yearlings sold from 278c to 310c with the heavier weights averaging 292c/kg.

There was keen interest from the lotfeeders on young feeder cattle which were 3c to 5c/kg dearer. The feeder steers sold from 280c to 332c with the better conditioned heavier weights over 400kg averaging 315c while the feeder heifers sold from 273c to 311c/kg.

With light rain falling during the sale the restocker interest remained solid with young steers to the restockers selling from 301c to 375c with the lighter weights weighing 200kg to 280kg averaging 353c/kg. Young heifers in the same weight range sold from 278c to 327c to average 300c/kg.

There were some good lines of very well finished bullocks yarded which sold at 4c/kg dearer rates. The prime medium and heavy weights sold from 260c to 299c with those weighing 500-600kg averaging 290c while those over 600kg averaged 292c/kg Export weight feeder steers sold from 270c to 325c to average 314c/kg. Limited numbers of grown heifers to the processors were firm to 3c dearer selling to 280c and averaging 266c/kg.

Cows were 1c to 4c dearer with the 2 scores selling from 165c to 205c/kg. The better 3 and 4 scores sold from 200c to 226c with the 3 scores averaging 215c while the 4 score heavy weights averaged 223c/kg. There was no restocker activity on the cows in the yarding as there were no ideal lines to suit.

Bulls were up to 10c dearer with a very well-muscled high yielding Charolais bull selling to 273c/kg. There was keen interest from the restockers and backgrounders for the live export market on the lightweight bulls less than 450kg in the yarding which sold from 279c to 336c/kg.