Phenomenal prices paid this week for Monaro and Omeo Valley high country weaner cattle had a flow-on effect at Grafton on Thursday with Angus under 180kg reaching 746 cents a kilogram - bids not seen since the peak of frenzy earlier in the new year. Empty paddocks full of grass from the northern New England to the Central West were the source of demand.
More telling for market watchers than the story about restocker cattle was the chapter on feeder weight calves, with prices good but not great, and hinting at the fact finished cattle are not profitable - and yet bids kept coming.
A yarding of 1420 head comprised 999 steers to 400kg making an average 538c/kg or $1421 and reaching a top of 746c/kg and $1848.
Steers 400-500kg, 60 head, brought an average of 430c/kg or $1907, peaking at 472c/kg and $2180, for first cross Brahman/Hereford, 497kg at 16 months, attracting a bid of 438c/kg and going to Bindaree beef.
Les McGuire, Dorrigo, sold vendor-bred two tooth Angus, 500kg for 426c/kg or $2131 and sold lighter calves, 255kg, for 628c/kg or $1601 going to the Armidale district.
Six tooth Santa Gertrudis cross, 595kg, sold to Bronc Riley for 330c/kg or $1964. He paid $2019 for their younger brothers, four tooth, 557kg at 362c/kg.
Simmental steers from Basil Moran, Brushgrove, 423kg, made 472c/kg or $1997.
Charolais cross steers from Gordonbrook Station sold to 556c/kg or $1357 for 244kg while the heavier yearlings, 385kg, brought 480c/kg or $1848.
Heifer Station Charolais cross weaner steers weighing 233kg made $612c/kg - an equal price record for the Page family set at the January Grafton store sale.
Charbray calves produced by Tracey Conroy, Newbold at Lillydale, sold to a top of $1573 for calves 302kg which brought 520c/kg and went to lower Clybucca to be grown out to feeder weight. A lighter pen, 260kg, brought 552kg or $1435 going to Alexander Downs, Merriwa, for backgrounding.
Angus/Simmental steers produced by Trevor McWhirter, Seelands, 338kg, made 500c/kg or $1691 going to Billings Pastoral at Dorrigo. Their sisters, 325kg, brought 468c/kg or $1521 going to Alexander Downs.
Charolais cross, 280kg, sold for 550c/kg to Peter Trow, Glen Innes, who will grow them out on grass and crop for the next 12 months confident that profit will come through weight gain if not consistent cents a kilo.
Heifers were sold as part of the steer sale, 349 head, and nearly matched their brothers with an average price two cents higher, at 540c/kg and only $123 behind at $1298. Top price was 700c/kg and $1738.
Heifer Station females brought 600c/kg or $1359 for Charolais/F1, 226kg, going to the Armidale district. This was the highest price on a cents per kilo basis paid for the multi-generational property's female cattle.
South Grafton butcher Mark Carleton came away with 60 heifers, paying to a top of 616c/kg for Angus, 195kg, or $1201 and will background them at Ulmarra.
Jade Marshall bought a pen of lightweight Angus, 187kg, paying $1237 or 660c/kg with the butcher chasing him all the way, and will put them on pasture at Maclean.
