Wodonga Blue Ribbon weaners hit $1800 | January 3

The first sale for 2023 is viewed with great anticipation and this year Ray White Albury kicked off the four-day run of weaner sales with its Blue Ribbon Grown and Weaner Sale.

A significant drop in the Eastern Young Cattle Indicator in recent months meant it was unlikely prices for weaner steers on Tuesday would match last year's near 1000-cents-a-kilogram record breaking prices.

However, the market held up well and Ray White Albury agent Matt Spry said the results were pleasing.

"There was buyer interest from a wide area and plenty of cattle went as far north as Tamworth," Mr Spry said.

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He said the quality of the cattle was good for the 1400 head offered.

"The lead weaner steers were making about the 480 cents a kilogram mark," he said.

Mr Spry estimated the top weaner steers weighing about 370 kilograms sold for around $1800 a head.

Meanwhile, the weaner steers weighing in the 300kg bracket returned $1700 to $1780.

He said the heavier, feeder type steers topped at about $2250 or 470c/kg.

Mr Spry said enquiries on the heifers were plentiful and the lead pen sold for about the $1850 mark.

Breaking down the sale via weight ranges, the weaner steers tipping the scales at less than 330kg mostly sold from $880 to $1650, while those from 330kg to 400kg ranged from $990 to $1880.

Steers from 400kg to 500kg attracted bids from $1500 to $2250 and averaged just below $2000.

Any steers weighing more than 500kg topped at $2250.

Across the weaner heifer pens, those weighing 200kg to 280kg sold from $840 to $1510 and averaged $1274, while those from 280kg to 330kg were knocked down for $1100 to $1520 and averaged $1389.

The 330kg to 400kg females ranged from $1330 to $1710 and a small number of pens above 400kg topped at $1850.

The top of the weaner steers at $1800 was a pen of 14 weaned Angus that tipped the scales at 367kg and were sold by R Pringle from Cooma. Another pen from R Pringle, weighing 396kg, also sold for $1800.

In addition, RG and KJ Bennett, Wataview, Tarrawingee, Victoria, sold a pen of 20 Angus steers with an average weight of 377kg for $1800. The Black Aqua- and Jade Park-blood pen was grass fed and Russia and Saudi eligible.

Just over the 400kg mark, a pen of Angus steers from Graneli Pty Ltd, Mannus, sold for $1800.

In the grown steer section, a pen of four Angus steers weighing 621kg from Ross Kemp, Derrinal, Vic, topped the market at $2370.

Kilmuir Agriculture, Eldorado, Vic, sold 552kg Te Mania- and Prime Angus-blood steers for $2250, while for the same money McPhee Properties also sold a pen of 481kg weaned Angus steers.

Graneli Pty Ltd sold the top pen of Angus heifers, which had an average weight of 400kg, for $1850, while they also sold 368kg Angus heifers for $1710.

Feltrim Pastoral Company, Jingellic, sold 377kg Russia and Saudi eligible heifers for $1620, while McPhee Properties Pty Ltd offered a pen of Charolais heifers, 318kg, for $1520.

The sale was conducted by Ray White Albury.

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