Demand for store cattle has waned in recent weeks with a proper onset of winter and as a result there was some good buying for the last of the season's young cattle at Grafton saleyards on Thursday.
More than half the 2073 head yarding were steers, averaging 557.9 cents a kilogram or $1260.05 and reaching a high of 740.2c/kg for light calves under 150kg and $2404.45 for the heavier grown steers that included a run of bigger steers selling from 350 cents a kilogram to 507c/kg.
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Steers at the May store sale averaged 666.7c/kg or $1633.31 and reached a high of 908.2c/kg and $2561.99. Bullocks last month averaged 364.1c/kg or $2275.75 and reached a high of 378.2c/kg and $2647.40.
Heifers at Thursday's store sale averaged 509.3c/kg or $1101.14. Heifers at the May store sale averaged 616.4c/kg or $1380.30.
"The heifers over 340kg sold well as did the lighter calves under 220kg making 550c/kg to 560c/kg," reported agent Mitch Donovan. "However the mid-range heifers 240kg to 300kg were back a bit."
Cows averaged 305.8c/kg or $1426.41. A run of 47 cows with calves sold liveweight averaged $1855.11. Cows at the May sale averaged 332.1c/kg or $1360.61.
Rob and Fay Conroy, Chambigne, sold Brahman cross steers 368.3kg for 462.2 or $1702.44, heading to the Taroom, Qld district where demand remains strong but has become more selective.
Angus weaner steers from C.O. Austin and Sons, Coombadjah, 211kg made 664.2c/kg or $1401.46 and went with 100 others to the Narrabri district to go onto crop.
Ramornie Station sold black baldy steers 300kg for 530c/kg or $1590.
A pen of 15 Speckle Park steers from vendors of the week, Trevor and Leanne Keough, Bellingen, 258kg brought 554.2c/kg going to Roma, Qld. Their sisters, 239kg, made 554.2c/kg at an average weight of 258kg to gross the vendor $1429.84 a head. going back to the paddock at Inverell. The quality of the offering attracted top sale bids for weight of both steers and heifers.
Bruce and Wendy Page, Copmanhurst, sold Angus over first cross cows, 228.5kg for 560.2c/kg or $1279.84. Their Charolais brothers 241.7kg, made 564.2c/kg or $1363.48.
Heifer Station sold Angus over F1, 215.5kg for 616.2c/kg or $1327.91.
The Winfield family, The Gorge, sold Angus/Brahman steers, 281.7kg for 520c/kg or $1454.87.
Paul McInnerney, Jackadgery, sold 19 Angus cross weaner steers 220.4kg for 672.2c/kg or $1481.64, going out west onto crop.
A pen of 24 Charolais over F1 from Gordonbrook Station, 184.2kg, made 670.2c/kg or $1234.29.
Mike Grey, Valla, sold Angus cross heifers 327kg for 498.2c/kg or $1630.
The Grafton store sale was conducted by agencies Farrell McCrohan and Donovan Livestock and Property.