Grafton saleyards yarded 1840 head of quality young calves at its annual feature weaner sale on Thursday, with Farrell McCrohon and Ray Donovan livestock agents taking the bids.
Steers to 400kg dominated the presentation with 1433 head run through the selling ring to average 248.3 cents a kilogram or $623. The March store sale averaged 193c/kg for weaner steers or $536.
Heifers numbered 397 to average 201c/kg or $458 and reachied a top of 238c/kg and $671. At the March store sale the same weight heifers averaged 138c/kg or $349.
Top priced steers included a best cents per kilo sale of 296.2c/kg for young Angus, 280kg, produced by Rod Gant, Karangi Capital, making $829 and bought by John Cummins.
Top dollar figure was $987 for yearling black baldies, 382kg at 258c/kg going to Victoria through buyer Eliezer Robinson, Coramba.
The best selling Angus weaner steers from Daren Marshall, Upper Orara, at 306kg, made 282c/kg or $866 going to Rob Perkins at Ebor.
Mr Marshall also sold first cross Wakefield Charolais over Angus, 275kg for 268c/kg or $737 going to Goondiwindi, while another pen of the same, 236kg, sold for 254c/kg or $600 going to Luke Matten, Upper Orara.
Don and Betty Caldwell, Ramornie, also sold top Angus steers, selling 15 to a top of 288c/kg for 218kg making $628 and going onto sorghum stubble and hopefully future oats at Goondwindi through Robbie Bloch, CL Squires, Inverell.
Top priced steers were a pen of 10 first cross Brahman/ Hereford, 410kg, produced by Phil and Kaylene Stephenson, Fineflower, selling for 260c/kg or $1066 to Eliezer Robinson, Coramba.
Best cents a kilo steer weaners were a pen of 12 Santa Gertrudis/ Angus, 291kg, produced by Tracey Conroy, Newbold Grange, Pulginbar, and described by selling agent David Farrell as "front padock cattle", selling for 266c/kg or $775 and going to Eliezer Robinson.
By comparison, last year's feature sale at Grafton delivered Ms Conroy $895 for the same cross, 298kg at 300c/kg.
The Page family's Heifer Station, awarded best Bos Indicus infused steers by judge and cattle buyer Tim McCarthy, Kempsey, sold Charolais steers out of first cross Brahman/ Hereford cows, 260kg, for 270c/kg or $700, going to Malcolm Lockyer, Glen Innes.
The family's Angus cross steers, 280kg, made $2.62c/kg or $732, going to Harold Pettit "Avalon", Pinkett.
Adam and Belinda Chapman at Fineflower also sold terminal Charolais calves from first cross cows, 284kg at 270c/kg to bring $768 going to repeat buyer Charles Mifsud, Southgate, while another pen of the same, 255kg, sold for 246c/kg or $627 to repeat buyer Hans Buchi, Seelands.
Greg and Ute Nicholls, Southgate, bought a pen of the same cross, coming off country at Kangaroo Creek, 265kg, for 238c/kg or $633.
Mick and Sue Moorehead, Baryulgil, were awarded champion pen of European infused weaners and sold 16 Charolais cross out of F1 cows , 281kg, for 268c/kg or $755 going to Malcolm Lockyer, Glen Innes.
Quiet Droughmaster steers, 272kg, produced by Peter and Glenda Ballard, Coaldale, made 234c/kg or $638 sold for backgrounding at Ulmarra.
Some of the volume buyers were not present for the heifer portion and prices reflected the lack of competition but standout pens included a pen of 10 Charolais cross, 299kg, produced by Dennis and Helen Lodge, Tyringham, selling for 224c/kg or $671 and going to Northern Co-operative Meat Company at Casino. The Lodge family were awarded champion pen of cross bred heifers on the day.
Don and Betty Caldwell, Ramornie, also sold top Angus heifers, 220kg, for 215c/kg or $473, going to South Grafton butcher Mark Carleton who will grow them out at Ulmarra.
Another pen of Shorthorn/ Charolais heifers, 224kg, sold for 210c/kg or $473 going to Coonamble through Halcroft and Bennett with John Dougherty doing the bidding.
Other heifers went to Alexander Downs feedlot, Merriwa.
