The last Dubbo store cattle sale, held on October 19, saw prices improve by as much as $50 a head across the yarding of 650.
Dubbo’s Ray White Rural agent, David Armitage, said the sale result was an improvement on recent months, but given the rainfall that had been received in the district, no one was out of the woods yet.
“Those who have some oats in or some grazing pasture may now have enough feed to attempt to finish some cattle,” he said.
“I saw the sale probably rise by $20 to $50 per head generally and competition was reasonably strong, but there were still factors erring on the conservative side, given that the fat market itself is far from outstanding.
“Prices are being held back a little with the prospect of what the fat market will do.”
Mr Armitage said mostly dry cattle were yarded with steers and heifers the main lines offered.
“There were not many cows with calves, but what was there sold very well and could have been at least $100 to $150 dearer,” he said.
Steers topped at about $765, heifers topped at about $605, cows and calves were a big improvement. A pen of three plain conditioned, black cows with calves sold for $1170 a unit.
Twenty-two Angus/Droughtmaster weaner steers sold at $615 each for Tarcoola Pastoral, Ballimore.
Source: Mark Griggs, The Land