Numbers were up a little this sale with a yarding of 3810.

It was a good quality yarding with a top selection of grown steers in prime condition a number of which had come off crops or have had grain assistance.

Cows were also well supplied along with good numbers of young cattle to suit both the trade buyers and feeder operators.

There were also a few consignments of plainer cattle to suit the store buyers. The bulk of the cattle yarded were off local district properties with only odd small consignments from the far west which was in contrast to the previous sale.

All the usual buyers were in attendance and operating in a fairly solid market for most categories.

The better numbers and yarding of young cattle to suit the trade buyers were firm to a little dearer with steer vealers selling from 292c to 323c while the prime heifer vealers sold from 299c to 309c/kg. The feeder operators competed strongly on large numbers of prime yearlings resulting in limited numbers going to the trade buyers. Prime steer sold from 250c to 285c while the few prime heifer yearlings going to the trade sold to 296c/kg.

Feeder steers and lightweight feeder heifers were 4c to 5c dearer while the heavier weight feeder heifers were firm. The bulk of the buying strength came from northern operators. Feeder steers sold from 273c to 322c with the large number over 400kg averaging 305c while the lighter weights weighing between 330kg and 400kg averaged 315c/kg. The feeder heifers sold from 262c to 306c with the lighter weights here averaging 298c/kg.

There were fair numbers of young steers to suit the restocker orders which sold to a cheaper trend despite the forecast of further showers over the next few days. Young steers to the restockers sold from 260c for plain quality calves to 380c/kg for reasonably well bred Angus calves. Young heifers to the restockers sold from 258c to 322c/kg. In contrast the older steer yearlings to suit the backgrounders sold to a 10c dearer trend with the steer yearlings to the restockers selling from 294c to 351c/kg.

Grown steers followed the trend for the week at all major yards selling up to 6c cheaper with almost all of the support coming from the north. The prime medium and heavy weight grown steers sold from 255c to 277c to average 270c/kg. The grown steers to the feeders sold to reasonable competition selling from 277c to 316c/kg for the younger lines. Grown heifers were 5c cheaper selling to 269c with the heavy weights averaging 257c/kg.

Plain conditioned cows were 4c dearer while the properly finished cows were firm. 2 score cows to the processors sold from 160c to 216c. A single line of plainer conditioned cows to the restockers sold for 232c/kg. The better 3 and 4 score cows to the processors sold from 210c to 238c with the prime heavy weights averaging 232c/kg.

Bulls were cheaper with the well-muscled heavy weights in good condition selling from 235c to 275c while a small number of young bulls to the restockers sold to 248c/kg.