LOTFEEDERS and restockers took scant notice of the statewide dry during a busy morning at Friday’s Coal Country Angus weaner sale at Singleton, with young steers hitting 383c/kilogram and weaner heifers reaching $850 a head.
The 1000-head yarding of good quality weaners included 700 steers and 300 heifers, with cattle heading across the state to Moree, Gunnedah, Dubbo and the New England.
The annual sale run by Roger Fuller Pty Ltd and Elders Tamworth included mostly local cattle.
Lightweight steers fetched the highest prices with purebred pens weighing less than 260kg climbing to 383c/kg.
Steers weighing from 280kg to 340kg sold to 330c/kg, while yearling steers up to 500kg were also strong and recorded similar prices.
Steers weighing more than 500kg topped at 305c/kg.
Among the happy vendors was Demetri Koureas, “Bundaleer”, Singleton, who was responsible for almost 20 per cent of the day’s yarding.
Mr Koureas’ top pen of 18 Angus steers averaging 261kg sold for 340c/kg.
He was also awarded the $500 pre-sale prize for the best presented pen of steers – a yard of 10 steers weighing 350kg that sold for 320c/kg.
“It’s good to see these prices – especially when you’re putting a lot into pastures to get them to a good standard,” Mr Koureas said.
Weaner heifers sold to a top of $850, with lightweight heifers topping at $780.
Roger Fuller Pty Ltd agent Jason Bower said it was a strong sale despite a lack of rain across the state.
“It’s great to see the lotfeeders as confident in the market – and also the restockers – considering how dry it has been,” Mr Bower said.
“Everybody was pretty rapt with how it went.”
The pre-sale award for champion pen of crossbred steers went to Alan Long, Widden Valley, for his Angus/Charolais-cross steers, the champion pen of Angus heifers was owned by Andrew Stewart, Carrowbrook and the champion pen of crossbred heifers went to Boondandilla Partnership, also from Carrowbrook, for their Angus/Charolais-cross heifers.