Numbers were back by almost 800 for a yarding of 3475.

It was a much plainer quality yarding with very limited numbers of properly finished good quality cattle in all sections. A number of the cattle are showing the effects of almost a fortnight of constant frosts and the fact it is getting very dry in most districts. The bulk of the cattle were sourced from local districts with only a few consignments coming in from the far west. Consignments did come from Bourke and White Cliffs along with another load in from South Australia. A combination of the plainer quality yarding and the fact that some operators were absent resulted in a cheaper market.

Young cattle to the trade were 8c cheaper with steer vealers selling from 340c to 355c to average 343c while the heifer vealers to the trade sold from 328c to 344c/kg. Prime steer yearlings sold from 308c to 356c with the heavier weights averaging 335c while the prime heifer yearlings sold from 304c to 345c/kg.

The bulk of the young feeder cattle were 8c cheaper with the exception of the better finished heavy weight steers which were firm. The plainer quality of the yarding and the shortage of a major breed certainly had an effect in the market fall. Feeder steers sold from 280c to 366c with the large number of medium weights weighing between 330kg and 400kg averaging 350c/kg. The feeder heifers sold from 277c to 342c with the medium weights here averaging 319c/kg.

Young steers to the restockers were firm for the lightweights and 14c/kg cheaper for the heavier weights. Young steers to the restockers sold from 323c to 381c while the young heifers going back to the paddock sold from 292c to 362c/kg.

Grown steers gained momentum as the sale progressed to finish firm to 1c/kg cheaper. The prime medium and heavy weights sold from 274 to 314c with the medium weights weighing between 500kg and 600kg averaging 303c /kg. Grown steers to the feedlotters sold from 270c to 335c/kg. Grown heifers were up to 11c cheaper selling from 255c to 292c with the heavy weights over 540kg averaging 278c/kg.

Cows were 6c to 10c cheaper with the 2 scores selling from 140c to 200c /kg to the processors with no activity coming from the restockers. The better 3 and 4 scores sold from 206c to 251c with the prime heavy weights averaging 242c/kg.

Heavy bulls were 8c cheaper once again with the plainer quality available having an effect. The better muscled heavy weight bulls sold from 240c to 286c to average 265c/kg. Limited numbers of young bulls to the restockers sold from 270c to 315c/kg.