Despite the dry conditions prompting high yardings of weaners across the New England region in recent weeks, the market still held firm at Inverell on Thursday.
The 3916-head yarding drew predominantly feedlotters and Queensland restockers, with demand pushing steers to a top of 332 cents per kilogram and heifers to 259c/kg.
Steers up to 200kg sold from 240c/kg to 288c/kg, averaging 274c/kg for $478 a head, while steers 200 to 300kg sold between 222c/kg and 332c/kg to average 283c/kg and $726 a head.
Steers between 300kg and 400kg sold from 256c/kg to 319c/kg for an average of 286c/kg and $933 a head.
Heifers up to 200kg sold from 220c/kg to 253c/kg, averaging 246c/kg for $440 a head, while heifers 200 to 300kg sold between 221c/kg and 254c/kg to average 241c/kg and $609 a head.
Heifers between 300 and 400kg sold from 221c/kg to 259c/kg for an average of 259c/kg and $791 a head.
Rob and Prue Galton, Mullaley, claimed top price with both steers and heifers, making 259c/kg for 10 Angus heifers weighing 258kg, and 332c/kg for 17 Angus steers weighing 270kg.
Feature lines included 433 steers from Clerkness Pastoral Company, Bundarra, weighing 312kg and averaging 285c/kg and 259 heifers weighing 300kg which averaged 243c/kg, while JH Holdings, Texas sold 385 cross-bred steers weighing 272kg and averaging 272c.kg and 172 cross-bred heifers weighing 237kg which averaged 240c/kg.
C.L. Squires and Co agent Robbie Bloch, Inverell, said the quality of the cattle and the strength in the market was surprisingly good considering the current conditions.
“Our season is rapidly deteriorating around here so we had expectations of the whole market across all categories to be a bit cheaper,” he said.
“We were fortunate enough that a lot of the heavier cattle were a lot stronger than our previous sale two weeks ago.
“The lighter end of the cattle were a bit cheaper but we were really happy with how it held up considering the seasonal conditions we're staring down.”
Considering the conditions, Mr Boch said it was surprising to see a lot of condition and weight in the weaners.
“We're expecting the cattle to be pretty hairy and rough, but because we had a really good back end to winter and start to spring last year that's what's sticking to them,” he said.
