RAY White agents in the state's north are working together to hold three weaner sales over two days next week, with more than 3000 weaners on offer.
While the sales are smaller than usual - due to seasonal conditions impacting herd numbers, and some producers selling weaners earlier this year to make the most of the high market - there's no compromise on quality, with some of the most sought-after lines of weaners still available.
Tenterfield - March 18, 10am
Ray White's feature Angus weaner sale at Tenterfield is expected to yard 1800 weaners, with 1150 Angus and Angus-cross steers, 500 Angus heifers, and 150 crossbred heifers, with 360 steers and 140 heifers being EU-accredited.
Among the feature lines are 120 steers and 60 heifers from TM and SA Casey, 80 steers and 80 heifers from Coldwood Pastoral, 100 steers and 50 heifers from D & P McCarthy, 50 steers and 50 heifers from Dingo Hill and 380 weaners from Neville and Sue Grogan, who will offer their entire heifer drop for the first time.
The Grogans are longtime vendors at Tenterfield, and this year they'll sale about 200 heifers and 180 steers.
"We usually retain some heifers for future breeders each year, but last year the calves weren't worth a lot, so we've kept them and grown them out, which means all of last year's calves are being sold," Mr Grogan said.
"With the drought we weaned down to four months last year, so those little heifers would have only made $300 or $400, and it was more worthwhile to feed them."
The eight to 10-month-old heifers weigh from 220 to 350 kilograms.
"They're good quiet, soft heifers that are well-grown because we've had an abundance of feed," Mr Grogan said.
"We've got a couple of pretty good pens of heifers, about 40 from 300kg to 340kg and another pen of 300kg and a bit better."
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The steers also weigh up to 350kg, and in past years they've gone to a feedlot at Gunnedah and backgrounders at Inverell and in south east Queensland.
While the draft is lighter than the Grogans' usual offering, the genetics are still there, with bulls from the Costello family at Nairn Park Angus predominantly used, along with bulls from local studs Inglebrae and Speriby North.
The Tenterfield sale will also give producers the opportunity to donate to the Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service based in Lismore, through their Helifarmer initiative. Vendors can support the service by either donating a fixed amount from the sale, or nominating a cents per head amount or a whole beast from a pen on sale day.
Stanthorpe - March 18, 12pm
The team at Stanthorpe have a smaller offering on the afternoon of March 18, with 500 to be yarded, including 150 Angus and Angus-cross steers, 150 Angus and Angus-cross heifers, 50 Brangus steers, 20 Brangus heifers, 40 Euro-cross steers, 20 Euro-cross heifers, 20 crossbred steers and 20 crossbred heifers.
Feature lines include 30 Angus steers and 30 Angus heifers which EU-accredited and PCAS (Pasturefed Cattle Assurance System) eligible, bred by the Hill family, 25 Angus heifers from Mathew McMillian, and 30 Angus steers and 30 Angus heifers from the Cunich family.
Casino - March 19, 10am
About 1700 will be yarded in the Casino weaner and store cattle on March 19, including 350 Angus and Angus-cross steers, 350 Euro-cross steers, 350 Bos Indicus-cross steers, 200 Angus and Angus-cross heifers, 200 Euro-cross heifers and 100 Bos Indicus-cross heifers.
Feature lines include 70 Charolais-cross steers and 30 Charolais-cross heifers from De Wit Pastoral which are EU-accredited and PCAS eligible; 30 Charolais-cross steers and 30 Charolais-cross heifers from the Hill family which are also EU and PCAS, and 40 Charolais-cross steers and 40 Charolais-cross heifers from Bymbic Farms.
