RECORDS tumbled at the Powerhouse Liveweight Weaner Sale at Gunnedah on Thursday, when steers reached a top of 462 cents a kilogram and $1516 a head.
Rain fuelled spirited bidding from restockers and feedlot buyers, with good demand from the Central West, North West and New England, as well as Victoria.
The 3500-head yarding of good quality weaners averaged 401c/kg and $1059.
The tops of the steers were $187 dearer than those at last year’s sale, while the heifers, which topped at 422c/kg and $1374, were $201 dearer.
Steers weighing up to 200kg sold from 418c/kg to 462c/kg, those weighing from 200kg to 280kg sold from 350c/kg to 458c/kg, steers from 280kg to 330kg made between 360c/kg and 430c/kg and those weighing more than 330kg ranged from 300c/kg to 400c/kg.
Heifers weighing up to 200kg made between 300c/kg and 414c/kg, heifers from 200kg to 280kg sold from 320c/kg to 422c/kg, those weighing from 280kg to 330kg ranged from 340c/kg and 410c/kg and heifers weighing more than 330kg sold from 312c/kg to 388c/kg.
Among the largest lines was 460 eight- to nine-month-old Angus weaners with Waverley and Booroomooka bloodlines from John and Ian Faulkner, Crawney Station, Timor, following the sale of the property a fortnight ago. The 210 steers topped the sale on a cents per kilogram basis, with their lightest steers, weighing 173kg, making 462c/kg. The 250 heifers reached 422c/kg for 232kg weaners.
Ed, Fiona and Tom Simson, “The Plantation”, Premer, 110 EU-accredited Kidman and Poll Hereford steers that topped at 412c/kg and averaged 402c/kg. The top pen weighed 313kg and sold for 392c/kg, returning $1226 a head. The family’s 60 Wagyu/Hereford-cross steers weighed 206kg and made 426c/kg, returning $877, and they sold 39 Shorthorn steers averaging 287kg for 420c/kg, returning $1205.
Bill and Vicki Braun, "Coomoo Coomoo", Blackville, sold 142 Brahman/Simmental-cross steers and 80 heifers with northern Brahman bloodlines and Lucrana Simmental bloodlines. The steers weighed from 221kg to 298kg and sold from 360c/kg to 420c/kg. The heifers weighed between 208kg and 263kg and sold from 340c/kg to 372c/kg.
Buyers included repeat clients Robert Gill, Alexander Downs, Merriwa, and Victorian agent Anthony Delaney, Rodwells, Pakenham.
Mr Gill bought 92 Charolais-cross heifers weighing from 295kg to 314kg, paying up to 400c/kg for 295kg calves John Dekoyer, "Redlands", Wallabadah.
Mr Delaney purchased 250 steers and heifers on behalf of private lotfeeders near Melbourne, paying a top of 415c/kg for Charolais-cross steers.
Agent Luke Scicluna, Davidson Cameron and Co, Gunnedah, said the market was strong on the back of widespread rain in the New England and North West and the quality of the yarding.
“The market was very strong, about 40c/kg to 60c/kg stronger than a few weeks ago.
“The Charolais and Angus cattle were particularly strong, with feedlot buyers looking for the European-cross calves.
“These are cattle that are set for this sale each year, which is why we have those repeat buyers coming back.”
The sale was conducted by the Davidson Cameron and Co team.