First weaner sale for Dorrigo sets the bar high with strong store prices

The sale was book-ended by rain that closed the Waterfall way and made cattle transport a logistical challenge, with those on the eastern fall at places like Thora, normally 17 kilometers from the sale yards, forced to truck stock through Coffs Harbour then Grafton before winding their way up the Armidale Road, a distance of 250km.

Paul and Nada Gibbins, with properties at Lowanna and Bucca were the biggest vendor with 248 steers by Brooklana sires for sale, having kept all their heifers as replacements. Their best pen sold to $2324.44 for 316kg at 735c/kg. Lighter calves sold to 940c/kg for 176kg.

Paul's brother Chris Gibbins, North Dorrigo, has swung to breeding rather than focus on trading cattle and sold Angus cross steers from an Angus/Simmental cow base 370kg for $2252 with heifers at 309kg making $2000.

Adrian and Wendy Joyce at Thora also use Brooklana blood and sold a line of 20 Angus steers at 240kg for 740c/kg or $1776, and reached a top of $2028 for 260kg at 780c/kg going to Peter and Robin Bradbury at Megan.

June-drop Angus heifers from first calf cows off Brian and Christine Hillyir's Ebor property The Laurels 316kg made 735c/kg or $2324.44 going to a new breeding operation at Ben Lomand.

Marengo Pastoral Company sold Angus steers with Eaglehawk blood 326kg for 698c/kg or $2275.48

Merv and Sandra McGuire, Dorrigo, sold Angus steers with Promised Land blood 358kg for 650c/kg or $2327.

Graham Holden and Alison Raymond, Dorrigo, sold steers with Tandara blood 312kg at 702c/kg to bring $2190.24.

Shorthorn steers produced by The Ponds Farming, comprising Bruce, Julie and Brad Schwartz made $2391.27 for 373.6kg at 640c/kg going to Our Cow's Dave McGiveron who purchased last year's Shorthorn calves from the Schwartz family and will market the beef on-line from the company's Casino factory.

Angus heifers from The Ponds Farming using Gates bulls made $2429.14 for 309.4kg at 785c/kg while their Angus steers at 375kg made 634c/kg or $2377.50 - not as much as their Shorthorn calves.

Shorthorn cross steers with Southern Cross blood from the Everingham Brothers at Dorrigo made 616c/kg at 372kg to bring $2291.52 also sold to Our Cow at Casino.

Peter and Kylea, Moldiva, sold Simmental cross steers 580c/kg at 391kg to make $2267.80.

Darren Beaumont and Lisa Lowe, Dorrigo, sold Simmental cross steers from their own Lowbeau bulls 665c/kg for 305kg or $2028.25 going to Alexander Downs at Merriwa, which came away with 57 head of mostly euro-cross calves.

Other cattle went to Gloucester, the Northern Tablelands and west to Goondiwindi.

The sale was held by Ray White Dorrigo with Blake O'Reilly auctioneer and was simulcast with AuctionsPlus.

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