Central Tablelands Livestock Exchange, Carcoar, NSW, sale report, 27 March 2018:

Numbers were down by 1200 for a yarding of 2590.

Cows in plain condition and young calves made up a large percentage of the yarding as people continue to lighten off due to the season.

There was a fair selection of trade cattle along with a reasonable selection of feeder cattle. There were only a few of pens of grown steers.

The bulk of the yarding was sourced from local districts with particularly good numbers from the eastern areas. There were also some cattle consigned from the Condobolin district.

Not all the regular buyers attended with the absence of some cow buyers and feeder operators though their absence did not have too much of an effect on the market.

NLRS advises that young cattle to the trade were 8c dearer with prime steer vealers selling from 305c to 312c while the prime heifer vealers to the trade sold from 270c to 293c/kg. The prime steer yearlings sold from 280c to 312c to average 297c while the prime heifer yearlings sold from 260c to 308c/kg.

Feeder steers were 3c cheaper while the feeder heifers were firm to a little dearer for the lighter weights and up to 8c cheaper for the heavier weights. Feeder steers sold from 250c to 302c with most weight grades averaging 293c/kg. The feeder heifers sold from 240c to 285c with the heavier weights averaging 259c and the lighter weights 265c/kg.

There were good numbers of young cattle to suit the restockers though the quality was not to the standard of the previous sale. Young cattle to the restockers were 20c to 35c cheaper with the young steers selling from 258c for very plain quality calves to 328c for good quality Angus steers. The steer yearlings to the restockers and backgrounders sold from 220c to 316c/kg. The young heifers going back to the paddock sold from 214c to 295c/kg.

There was only the one pen of grown steers sold to the processors and they made 260c while other pens of grown steers to the feeders sold from 225c to 287c/kg. Grown heifers were 12c cheaper with the better types selling from 215c to 243c/kg.

Cows were firm with the large number of 2 scores to the processors selling from 100c to 187c /kg. The better 3 and 4 score cows sold from 180c to 210c with the prime heavy weights averaging 205c/kg. The restockers purchased around 50 of the plainer cows to fatten paying from 70c for very light and small framed cows to 188c for good framed Angus cows.

Bulls were close to firm with the better muscled and better conditioned bulls selling from 225c to 255c/kg. Young bulls to the restockers sold from 150c to 262c/kg.