More than 2000 head came out of the paddock for Grafton's special feeder and weaner sale on Thursday. Strong buyer competition pushed the bids to more than $2000 for steers while weaner heifers topped at 486 cents a kilogram.
Steers to 400kg dominated the yarding with 1384 on offer, averaging 420.8c/kg and $1122, reaching a top of 524c/kg and $1688.
Heavy steers, 400 to 500kg, averaged 402.9c/kg or $1725 and peaked at 428c/kg and $2003, for two tooth Angus, 490kg, selling for 408c/kg and going to Roma, through Jack Henshaw, Elders Goondiwindi.
Droughtmaster by Greg and Ute Nicholls, on flood plain at Southgate, 449kg, made 392c/kg or $1760, going to Teys through Ben Dougherty. The Nicholls averaged $1628 for 37 steers sold at 389.5kg.
Weaner steers attracted a lot of attention and local buyers had difficulty competing with the western buyers but Doug Salkeld, Southgate, managed to land two pens of Angus, paying up to 476c/kg for 267kg or $1275.
Angus by Booroomooka bulls produced by Darren Marshall, Coffs Harbour, 236kg, made 524c/kg or $1238, going to Chris Gibbons at Dorrigo, through Tim Bayliss, Ray White. Another pen 286kg, made 512c/kg or $1465.
Wayne Jefferies, Gilletts Ridge, sold Nairn Park/Coolarmagh Angus steers, nine months, 290kg for 480c/kg or $1392 going to Shamil Livestock at Urunga and Dorrigo.
Adam Chapman, Fineflower, sold first cross steers by Wakefield Charolais, 247kg for 464c/kg or $1146.
Robert Page, Heifer Station, sold a similar cross, 264kg, for 448c/kg or $1184. Heifer Station Angus over Brahman/Hereford, 243kg, made 450c/kg or $1093 going up to the Tablelands at Glencoe.
A milk tooth dairy Friesan, 445kg, made 292c/kg or $1300 going to Greenmountain Meat.
Heifers to 540kg numbered 534 head and made a remarkable average of 390.6c/kg or $862, with the top bids making 486c/kg and $1402.
Yulgilbar Station bid the top money for Santa/Hereford heifers by their own bulls from cows bred by John and Jan Smith, Woodenbong, originally purchased by Yeoman Pastoral, Nymboida, at the 2017 Casino weaner sales. This was the first presentation of their progeny with a pen weighing 240kg making 444c/kg or $1069 and another of the same but lighter, at 183kg, reaching the peak of 486c/kg.
The top money for a heifer went to milk tooth Red Poll, 357kg, with Bindaree Beef buying the pen at 394c/kg or $1402.
Angus heifers, 277kg, by Booroomooka bulls produced by Darren Marshall, Coffs Harbour, made 402c/kg or $1116 going to Wade and Cheryl-Ann Casey, Woodford Island.
Mr Marshall's Charolais/Angus, 246kg, made 420c/kg or $1035 going to the Glen Innes district through Colin Say and Co.
Adam Chapman, sold Wakefield Charolais over first cross cows, 235kg, making 402c/kg or $947, going to the New England through Colin Say and Co. Another pen of the same, 210kg, made 404c/kg or $851 going to Roma, through Elders Goondiwindi.
Lance Timms, Brushgrove, won best pen of weaner heifers on the day, Angus by a Booroomooka bull, 230kg, making 384c/kg or $883 also going to Roma. the lighter sisters went to 404c/kg. His partner Desley Spencer bought back in with milk tooth Charolais cross heifers, 310kg, paying 400c/kg or $1240.
