PRICES were up to $100 higher for females at Wodonga today as more buyers emerged.
There was a bigger crowd than yesterday's sale for the 2200 cattle, depleted by a few hundred females which agents said was due to the heat.
But other pundits believed it was the tough market yesterday which kept some producers from sending their cattle in.
Those that did were mostly rewarded for their confidence as Angus cows and calves sold to $1200, joined Angus heifers reached $1080 and joined Hereford heifers made $990.
The sale was held in scorching conditions of 42C, and the heat was turned up when it came to bidding.
Competition stepped up a gear from yesterday's sale, with buying strength from northern NSW, locals and as far south-east as Orbost, for the beef-bred breeders on offer.
Other cattle went to Mansfield, Cootamundra, Holbrook, Corryong and Tamworth.
Corcoran Parker livestock manager David Meehan said the sale had been beyond expectations.
"Going on yesterday, I thought we may have been in trouble but these were good cattle and they sold well," he said.
The best cows and calves were a pen of seven Angus, 2-1/2 years with their three to four-month-old calves, and the cows rejoined for an eight week calving. The three-in-one units were sold by APH Pastoral to an Albury buyer for $1200.
Mintor equalled this with their draft of similar age Angus heifers which had slightly older calves.
There were many drafts of well grown Angus heifers, ptic for autumn calving.
These sold up to $1080 for the top pen, an annual draft from Scott's Angus at Henty. The pen of 18, which weighed 589kg, was ptic to Angus bulls to start calving in March.
Steve Scott said it was a good rate, but needed to be put into perspective.
"We got $1010 for unjoined Angus heifers two years ago so that does put today's price into perspective," he said.
"But someone got a good deal and hopefully they will come back again another year."
Two other pens of ptic Angus heifers broke the $1000 mark, with better quality drafts making more than $900, and prices settling in the $700-$800 range for the bulk of the mid-run breeders.
The best Hereford price was achieve by the Walsh family’s Granite Flat for their annual draft of young breeders, which made $990. The heifers were due to start calving on January 9, and weighed 660kg. Seconds from the same draft made $860.
The renewed bidding strength compared to yesterday was evident when more than two hours into the sale, ptic Angus cows made $975, with a run from Rathlin, all joined to Angus or Limousin bulls, making $900-$975 for second calving cows which weighed 614-665kg.
So far this month, Wodonga agents have sold 28,000 cattle in store sales alone.
