With 588 head yarded, the first store sale for the new year at Grafton followed a state-wide trend of softer prices with weaner steers averaging 468 cents a kilogram or $1139.29.
Producers would have to dig back in their files to August 2020 to find a similar market as this category were dearer by 85c/kg in January 2021.
This was the first sale handled by just one agent, with Donovan Livestock and Property kicking off the new arrangement and the last of the dry cows sold by the end of lunch.
A good lot of buyers seemed happy, joking and gossiping and celebrating the fact that their time has come around again.
One of the new generation being educated through Maclean High School's agricultural department, Nash Schrader from Brushgrove, competed with commission buyers to snag a pen of Angus weaner steers, 180kg for $1300, with plans to grow them out.
Derek Morgan, Benambra at Nymboida, sold milk tooth Angus cross steers, by a short-gestation Brooklana bull, 390.7kg for 416.2c/kg or $1626.15.
He bought back in on the same market, paying down to $1038 for ultrablack steers from Josh Green at Lawrence, 193kg at 538.2c/kg.
Mr Green sold a heavier pen, 260kg for 506c/kg or $1316.12 going to the Hunter Valley while their sisters sold to $1056 for 227kg at 465.2c/kg.
Heifers, 200-300kg, averaged 421.1c/kg (466c/kg last month) or $1005.95, reaching a top of 540.2c/kg and $1005.95.
Cows with calves sold liveweight averaged $1992.12 and sold to a top of $2300 for Angus/Santa Gertrudis with calves at foot and cows back in calf.
Angus cows with calves sold by Donald McLean Elley, Gleniffer via Bellingen, made $2240.
Vendors of the week, GV and DM Gilmour, Coramba, sold Angus weaner steers 300kg for 502c/kg or $1506.60. A pen nearly 47kg lighter brought 570c/kg or $1444.51.
Brangus steers from Brad Johnson, Braunstone, 325kg, made 414c/kg or $1346.
Brangus steers from Brad McLennan, Kangaroo Valley, 251.7kg, made 460c/kg or $1158.17, going to the Inverell district.
Also going to the same district were Angus cross steers from Ian burley, Couttes Crossing, 255.8kg, which made 494.2c/kg or $1264.33.
In other sales a run of good Wakefield Charolais over first-cross Brahman/Hereford out of Kangaroo Valley, 305kg, made 542c/kg or $1656.72. Another pen 40kg heavier made $24 more. Meanwhile, their sisters, 287.9kg, brought 470c/kg or $1353.50 going into the domestic trade through Alexander Downs.
