Grafton’s annual weaner sale yarded 1939 head on Thursday with local buyers doing the heavy lifting in the absence of western interest, taking the sale to a top of $1156 for an Angus cross steer, 425kg.
Not far behind were calves by Charolais from Brahman/ Hereford, 380kg, making $1034.
Steers dominated the offering with 1518 head on offer, averaging 294.4 cents a kilogram at 260kg or $765 topping at 330c/kg for Charolais from Brahman/ Hereford.
Steers to 400kg, 1512 head, sold from 202c/kg to 330c/kg and averaged 295c/kg. Steers 400kg to 500kg made 248c/kg to 272c/kg to average 268c/kg.
Heifers to 540kg numbered 418 head averaging 244.4c/kg at 242kg or $592 and making a top of 360c/kg or $933 from Leanne and Shaun Messer, "Swamp Pastoral", Palmers Channel, with Santa Gertrudis/ Hereford, 259kg, returned to the paddock as breeders.
Champion pen of Bos indicus infused went to Tracey Conroy, Newbold Grange, with black calves, 298kg at 300c/kg bringing $895. Her champion pen of European infused Charolais cross calves, 275kg made 310c/kg or $853. Ms Conroy also purchased 34 steers and same number of heifers to take advantage of grass remaining from a wonderful season.
Coffs Harbour Hardwoods, Glenreagh, managed by Alan Sinclair, sold Coolarmagh Angus over Brangus topping at $1109 for heavier calves 407kg at 272c/kg going to Bindaree Beef, Inverell. Their lighter weaners, 337kg made 290c/kg or $978 and went to the Trenayre research station at Grafton, run by the Department of Primary Industries.
Mick Moorhead, Baryulgil Pastoral, sold Charolais over Brahman/ Hereford topping at 324c/kg for lighter steers, 269kg, and reaching $948 for calves 308kg at 308c/kg.
Mr Moorhead's first cross Brahman/ Hereford steers, 355kg, made 278c/kg or $987.
Glen Innes backgrounders were able to take advantage of coastal conditions, even if western buyers could not, with Harold Pettit` “Avalon”, Pinkett, picking up calves by a black Simmental bull from Angus cross cows paying up to $952 for 313kg at 304c/kg.
Charolais/ Angus calves from Darren Marshall, Coffs Harbour made to $921 for 302kg at 304c/kg.
The Horne Family, "Harrington Beef" Swan Creek, sold 40 Angus by a Booroomooka bull to Ben Thompson, Jackadgery, who paid 312c/kg to a top of $995 for 319kg. Those cattle will be backgrounded on country near Glen Innes prior to entering Myola feedlot at Croppa Creek.
A couple other pens from the Horne family went back on grass near Dorrigo with Bald Hill the buyer, topping at $897 for 286kg at 314c/kg.
Heifer Station sold black baldy calves, 264kg for 314c/kg to make $831 with Ben Thompson the buyer.
Adam Chapman, Fineflower, sold calves by a Wakefield Charolais bull from Brahman/ Hereford cows to a top of $894 for 286kg at 312c/kg going to Clarenza Pastoral.
As the sale progressed smaller steers, even sound Angus, struggled to maintain much above $550, with the volume going to Grafton Buyer David Gillett, "Oak Park".
Champion heifers from Coffs Harbour Hardwoods, topped at $907 for 348kg at 260c/kg going to the Oatley family's Woodbrook property at Brooklana.
Phil Warren, Nymboida, bought three pens of their heifers, topping at $711 for 280kg at 254c/kg and is looking forward to rebuilding a herd after his property was destocked. The past season has been tremendous and left a body of feed.
The Newberry family, "Taundra Pastoral, east of Glen Innes, purchased a number of heifers including a pen of Charolais from Brahman/ Hereford, 245kg for 250c/kg or $613, and will grow them out to feeder weight before next Christmas. Their property received sa welcome 40mm of rain the Sunday prior and the family is hoping the phenomenon will extend to the western slopes
Paul Carlton, Ulmarra, bought black baldy heifers for his son Mark, 251kg at 260c/kg or $654, who will grow them out for his butchery business in South Grafton.