Grafton yarded 691 head of store cattle with heavy steers to $1549 for milk tooth Angus, and cows-in-calf to $1206 as the market focussed on stock ready to grow-on.
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There have been whispers in the market of improving signs, such as the demand for processor consignments and feedlot entries but buyers remained poker faced on Thursday.
The majority of the yarding were steers 200 to 300 kilograms, 150 head, averaging 274 cents a kilogram or $667 while reaching a top of 330c/kg and $897. At this agent's last store sale on July 6 that average was 296c/kg or $709 and reached a top of 340c/kg and $931.
Angus cross led the price with Charolais cross close behind while Brahman and indicus infusion received a good audience, appropriate for the drying conditions in the Clarence Valley, officially declared in-drought by the DPI.
However those with a body of standing feed and urea lick-blocks were in the market for a few while buyers that have invested in grain were in for a fair few more.
Jap Ox producer Paul Carleton, Ulmarra, where the lower river country wants to shoot away paid $1177 for droughtmaster steers from dry as buggery The Gorge, 372kg at 316c/kg and will grow them out on pasture for consignment.
Angus cross steers from the same property 401kg made 294c/kg or $1180 going to a volume commission buyer.
A Braunstone producer reluctantly offloading steers sold Santa Gertrudis cross 440kg for 288c/kg or $1268 but failed to make a profit off their purchase price four months ago.
Earl Ball, Bellbrook on the upper Macleay, sold Santa cross steers by an Angus bull 332kg for 308c/kg or $1022 going to a Dyraaba backgrounder.
Shane Timms, Lowanna, sold Angus steers 236kg for 298c/kg or $704.
Ulmarra breeder John Stokes sold Charolais cross steers 262kg for 296c/kg or $777. It's been a hard frosty winter for that low wetland country but there is green pick at the base of the tufts.
Hereford steers on the grain bin for 60 days, 327kg, made 262c/kg or $858.
A pen of Brahman/Hereford steers 260kg brought 240c/kg or $624.
Weaned red Brahman steers 275kg made 236c/kg or $649.
Top cents a kilo steers were Angus, 205kg at 330c/kg to bring $677.
There were 124 heifers in the 200 to 300 kg category averaging 214c/kg or $496, reaching a high of 258c/kg and $673. At the last store sale that class of female averaged 226c/kg or $544 and topped at 288c/kg and $827.
A volume buyer sent steers and heifers north of Winton, Qld, where the winter has been kind. His bidding on heifers worked out to average just under $500.
The same buyer purchased Angus heifers from Jackadgery - among the hardest country at the moment - 229kg for 250c/kg or $572.
From safe pastures near Woolgoolga he bought Hereford cross 235c/kg for 234c/kg or $550.
Cows with calves sold liveweight averaged $747 reaching a high of $940 for Angus. Charolais cross cows with calves from the same producer made $800.
Elland breeders Robert Charles and Jacqueline Todd were in the market for quiet cows and came away with Angus cross on their second calf, 437kg, offered by Judd Westeling, Tullymorgan, for $972 at 222c/kg.
"We've had a dry autumn but there is still a body of feed and we've got our own silage," said Mr Charles. "We've purchased a Speckle Park Bull from (Grafton breeder) Great Marlow and were looking for black females to join."
