Just shy of 1000 head were yarded at Grafton store sale on Thursday with grown steers topping the sale at $1410.
Steers to 400kg comprised exactly half the yarding to average 225 cents a kilogram or $600 (246.8c/kg and $643 last month) and reached a top of 286.2c/kg and $1059.
Steers 400kg to 500kg, 140 head, averaged 242c/kg and $1096 (233c/kg and $1032 last month), while steers 500-600kg averaged 226c/kg and $1219 (246c/kg and $1289 last month).
There was strong bidding competition for heavy bullocks with Gus and Gail Raymond, Bellingen, taking home 35 head, paying the top money for four tooth Santa Gertrudis/ Devon, 568kg at 248c/kg from the Watters Family, Newton Boyd at $1410. The Watters were encouraged to sell not only from drought conditions along the Old Glen Innes Road but also as a result of burnt pasture from the fires in Brother State Forest last week.
The Raymonds also purchased a pen of 17 Speckle Park, four tooth, 443kg, at 248c/kg or $1100. The attractive steers were bred by Tim Newberry and sold to his neighbour Harold Petit, Avalon, at Pinkett via Glen Innes, who was forced to sell because of the dry.
Brian Killmore, Smokey, Hat Head, attended without his father Charlie who, at 94 years old, has not weathered winter nearly as well as the enterprise. Mr Killmore loaded 54 head into his own truck, including a pen of Watters' Santa/Devon cross, four tooth 581kg at 248c/kg to bring $1361 along with some Charolais/ Brahman cross from the Fahey brothers, 480kg for $1269.
"We've got the best crop of rye ever, and we're taking advantage of it but our turn will come," said the grass finisher who, at the moment, enjoys more greenery than the rest. "At some point it won't stop raining and we will have to destock."
Paul Carlton, Ulmarra in what is usually ever-green country, was also in the market for heavy steers, purchasing 22 head including a pen of four tooth Brahman cross, 410kg at 216c/kg or $888.
Dave Blunt, who recently relocated from Orange to Mororo on the lower Clarence, purchased 22 head, mostly Angus cross, including a pen of six tooth, 467kg at 222c/kg or $1038.
Malcolm Lloyd, CQ Pastoral, bought 47 steers, 194kg at 166c/kg to go on feed at Baryulgil as replacements from heavy autumn destocking.
The Cooper family, Nymboida, took advantage of 17mm earlier this week, falling on paddocks rested over winter, to purchase some lightweight replacements, including a pen of Angus, 223kg at 176c/kg or $394.
A few weaners went to Victoria, including a pen of Angus, 310kg, at 270c/kg or $838 going through Landmark Shepparton.
Heifers to 540kg, 241 head yarded, averaged 188c/kg and $467 (174c/kg and $383 last month).
Heavy unjoined heifers forced off the Watters' property at Newton Boyd sold to Stephen Scarrabelotti, Kyogle, who paid to $827 for four tooth Brahman cross, 365kg at 232c/kg and will return them to the paddock.
Angus/ Brangus heifers from the Matthews family, Boondah, Chambigne, made $918 for two tooth, 361kg at 254c/kg. Another pen of the same, 313kg, made $814 going to Trevor O'Cass, Poley Bridge on the Orara, who was blessed with 35mm of rain earlier in the week and took home the heifers to breed.
Cows to 400kg averaged 92c/kg and $310 (89c/kg and $298 last month).
Anthony Dickson, with new and unstocked property at Lawrence, took advantage of prices and 10mm of rain this week and paid $710 for well framed Angus/Brangus cows with calves.
Thursday's monthly store sale was conducted by Farrell McCrohon with Ray Donovan stock and station agents while Mitch Donovan and Dave Farrell took the bids.
