Yarding doubles, finished cattle sell to 464c/kg

CATTLE SALE Monday, 16 February Yarding 2282 (up 1130) Numbers jumped at Monday's sale at Forbes' Central West Livestock Exchange with agents yarding 2282 head. Quality was mixed with some good lines of well bred cattle offered along with the secondary and plainer types. The usual buyers were present and competing in a market that got cheaper as the sale progressed. Yearling steers slipped 5 to 7c with middle and heavyweights to feed selling from 429 to 526c/kg. Finished types to processors sold from 428 to 464c/kg. The heifer portion to feed received from 395 to 459c/kg. Those to processors sold from 370 to 440c/kg. Heavy steers and bullocks ranged from 411 to 464c/kg heavy grown heifers sold from 378 to 423c/kg. Cows held fairly steady with better finished heavy cows selling from 375 to 388c and plainer types 338 to 377c/kg. The best heavy bull reached 398c/kg. SHEEP SALE Tuesday, 17 February Yarding 36,250 (up 1050) Numbers remained steady this sale with agents yarding 36250 head. Lamb numbers fell to 24850 and quality was similar to previous sales. There were some excellent runs of grain assisted trade and export lambs available along with the secondary types. Not all the usual buyers were present and competing in a cheaper market. Trade weight lambs slipped $6 to $10/head to sell from $222 to $276/head. Heavy and extra heavyweights showed a bigger fall with lambs to 26kg selling from $277 to $301/head. Extra heavyweights sold from $294 to $382/head, carcase prices averaged 1028 to 1145c/kg. The best heavy hoggets reached $286/head. Mutton number increased to 11,400 head. Quality was fair and prices showed a slight improvement from the previous sales. Merino ewes sold from $171 to $266/head. Crossbreds received from $168 to $310 with Dorper ewes from $173 to $270/head. Merino wethers reached $278/head. PIG SALE Fortnightly pig sale to be held this Friday, 20 February, at the Central West Livestock Exchange.