Another week since the last column and still in some semblance of lockdown with the industry becoming something different to the one, I grew up with.

Dunedoo on Wednesday, May 27 hosted another outstanding store cattle sale open to the general public when the agents involved yarded somewhere in the vicinity of 1500 head.

All people entering the complex had to sign a waiver regarding their general health and recent travel commitments.

For the sale on Thursday, May 28, Dubbo associated agents have announced a draw of 1520 head of cattle.

Numbers appeared in recent weeks to have settled in or around this figure.

Back to upcoming sales, the Coonamble Agents are endeavouring to hold a combined Prime and Store Cattle on or about June 11 or 12, depending on the interest shown by intending vendors.

My information on this proposed sale is that if graziers indicate substantial numbers it may be a stand-alone sale on Friday, June 12.

Further to that if enquiry is limited the sale may be conducted on Thursday, June 11 following on from the Dubbo sale on that morning.

Subject to the appropriate approvals on self-distancing etc the agents that I have spoken with will try to open this sale to the buying public as has been the case at Dunedoo.

Coonamble agents are to be congratulated on this initiative and its hoped that they can pull this off and bring a dual Prime and Store cattle sale to fruition.

Cattle prices continue their upward trend in the physical market.

This in turn has caused the direct to work prices to lift southern markets particularly have witnessed better prices and this in turn has tended to flush out better quality and better runs of heavy cows and bullocks with centres reporting well in excess of $3.00/kg liveweight for cows and bullocks have sold to at least $4.00/kg liveweight.

One week early in the month of May saw 123,346 cattle processed across the Eastern states down two per cent on the previous week and a staggering 19 per cent lower than the corresponding week last year.

Finally, there appears to be a relaxation by authorities on the opening of business houses and public places and my fervent wish is that saleyards will return to normal in the near future.

Some chatter that Dubbo saleyards may hold a store cattle sale on Friday, June 19.