Kempsey vendors have cashed in on the skyrocketing weaner prices with an Angus steer fetching an incredible $1558 - the highest top in recent years.
The steer belonging to Jeremy and Shannon Dowling of Aldavilla was among 1971 weaners that went under the hammer at Kempsey.
It's the third feature weaner sale that Kempsey Stock and Land has held in a month with around 4608 head of young cattle coming through the saleyards due to buyer demand.
"Vendors haven't seen eastern young cattle make this kind of money for a long time," Ian Argue from Kempsey Stock and Land said.
"Instead of keeping cattle they may have grown out, they have taken advantage of the market and sold as weaners,"
Mr Argue said there was a slight easing of the market from the previous sale with 9 cents per kilogram difference due to lighter cattle and second run calves.
The steer category displayed some outstanding calves with prices topping 528.2c/kg for a pen of 15 Angus steers, sold by the Hore family of Wauchope, weighing 219kg.
Morris O'Neill from Bellbrook sold two pens of Santa Gertrudis cross steers; one pen of 24 (238kg) selling to 398.2c/kg and a second pen of 11 (287kg) selling to 410.2c/kg.
In the female category, a pen of nine Angus heifers, by M and T Baker of Temagog, took top spot, selling to 455.2c/kg and returning $746 per head.
Females averaged 375.4c/kg overall and returned $801 per head. The top priced single heifer was sold by Friebel Farm at Mooneba for $1260.
