There were 900 odd cattle yarded at Inverell on Thursday, with heifers out-selling their brothers, reaching heights of around 464 cents per kilogram.
C L Squires and Co agent, Robbie Bloch said the numbers were similar to what had been seen at recent store sales.
"The drought reduced the cow herd there's not enough cattle in the district for us to yard too many more at the moment," Mr Bloch said.
He said the majority of the draft was made up of 280 kilograms to 350kg yearlings, 12-to-15 months old.
"It was a very strong sale, a pen of heavy steers over 400kg may have been five to 10c/kg cheaper than a fat market but other than that it was very strong and the heifer market was outstanding," Mr Bloch said.
Cows and calves sold to a top of $2260 for a pen of Charolais units from Baymak Pastoral Company, Warialda.
The same vendor sold pregnancy-tested-in-calf Charolais heifers, weighing an average of 570kg, for $1590.
Steers sold from $612 to $1748, making between 280c/kg and 540c/kg, with steers 200kg to 300kg averaging $1169 or 447c/kg.
A pen of Angus cross, 422kg, offered by R and S Keough, Auburn Vale made $1706, 404c/kg.
Other top lines included Santa cross steers, 404kg, from the Ferguson family, Bonshaw which sold for $1669, making 413c/kg.
At the lighter end, Kelvin and Kelly Hall, Ashford sold a pen of Angus steers, 227kg, for $1226, making 540c/kg.
L A Caithness,Texas sold Angus cross steers, 233kg, for $1102, 472c/kg.
Heifers averaged from 376c/kg at the heavier end to 413c/kg for heifers weighing from 200 to 300kg.
"A lot of heifers weighing 300kg were making 420c/kg and that's what their brothers were making," Mr Bloch said.
Mr Bloch said most heifer buyers were not purchasing for breeding but for the feeder market.
Clerkness Pastoral Company, Bundarra sold Charolais cross heifers, 350kg, for $1435, 410c/kg.
A and P Worgan, Rob Roy also sold Charolais cross heifers, 332kg, which made 409c/kg or $1360.
While, T and M Leadbeatter, Delungra, sold lighter Charolais, 296kg, for $1261, 425c/kg.
Mr Bloch said competition was mostly local, apart from one prominent buyer from Queensland.
Thursday's store sale was held by the combined livestock agencies of Inverell.