Quality attracts the premiums at Inverell weaner sale

Ben Lehman, Lehman Stock and Property offered the most significant section of the sale with several big drafts from individual vendors from the Narrabri, Bingara and Nullamanna areas.

After the sale, Mr Lehman was philosophical, saying, " the best end of the sale was pretty good; (the) quality stock got the demand."

But he said lighter-conditioned stock did not draw too much attention from commission buyers and agents working on behalf of Queensland clients, and locals took the opportunity to snap up what they considered bargains, especially in the heifer pens.

Truckloads of cattle will be heading for St George, Roma, Tara, and Toowoomba in Queensland with some destined for grain feed at Gunnedah.

The Queensland buyers wanted slippery and shiny cattle, anything of lesser quality, and they were not interested," Mr Lehman said.

The Charters family, Hilltop, Bingara, sold almost 150 mixed-sex Ultrablack calves.

Graeme Charters said his weaner steers copped at $140 haircut on last year's weaner sale.

"We did some calculations, and the 2023 weaners averaged $1240, while this year, they only averaged $1100," he said.

"And we're selling a month earlier. The market is what it is," he added.

The Hilltop heifers averaged 258kg for 42 head and averaged 283c/kg.

"We were pretty dry in November and before Christmas, but we're in good shape with some great rain in the new year, " he said.

"Our sub-tropical pastures have really responded well."

Rod, Lorraine and, Dylan McKinnon, Langdon and McKinnon, PInecliff, Narrabri, delivered almost 400 Angus and Charolais-cross calves to the sale as part of a regular management program.

"We've had an off-and-on season," Mr McKinnon said. "But we're happy with our calves today."

The first pen of Angus calves offered by Pinecliff was a pen of 35, averaging 275 kilograms, which made 391 cents/kg. The next pen was heavier at 335kg and made 370c, while a pen of 17, averaging 234kg, made 352c.

A pen of 28 Charolais-cross steers, averaging 313kg, made 346, while 45 of the same description, averaging 254kg, made 372c/kg.

Mr Lehman said another of his volume vendors was Abarrack, Nullamanna sold 70 quality Angus steers that had an average liveweight of 262kg and averaged 388c/kg.

Danielle Faint and Dean Myers, Pryton, from the north-eastern side of Barraba, offered Clunie Range-blood Angus steers that made 388c/kg for a pen of 17, averaging 294kg, while a pen of 21, averaging 248kg, made 402c/kg. Thirteen of the Pryton Angus heifers, averaging 239kg, made 250c/kg.

Lauriston, Inverell, sold 18 Angus steers, averaging 332kg for 362c/kg and a pen of 24 heifers averaging 281kg made 258c/kg.

Bucknell Grazing, Bukkulla, sold a pen of 21 Angus steers averaging 361kg for 364c/kg, while a pen of 25 heifers averaging 281kg made 248c/kg.

Tom Bucknell, Elsmere sold 20 Te Mania blood Angus steers, averaging 245kg for 410c/kg. Spring Valley, Guyra sold 22 Angus steers, averaging 281kg for 378c/kg and a pen of 14, averaging 245kg, made 370c/kg.

Deepwater Station, Deepwater, offered European Union-accredited Angus steers with a pen of 25, averaging 240kg, selling for 374c/kg and 41 black-baldy calves, averaging 255kg, made 372c/kg.

Peter and Beth Sandral, Tingha sold a pen of seven Charolais cross steers averaging 281kg for 312c/kg while a pen of 12, averaging 263kg, made 262c/kg.

Glen and Merri Miller, Glen Wy, Crooble were lightening off numbers and sold Angus and Charolais cross weaners.

A pen of 22 of their Angus steers, averaging 272kg, made 390c/kg, while a pen of 12, averaging 293kg, made 355c/kg. Sixteen Charolais-cross steers, averaging 338kg, made 348c/kg, while 16 steers of the same description, averaging 276kg, made 366c/kg.

R and J Ennis, Swanvale sold 13 Speckle Park steers, just under 300kg for 304c/kg and 13 steers averaging 2874kg for 264c/kg.

Benbraggie, Coolatai, sold 16 Angus steers, averaging 300kg for 340c/kg.

AK and KL Michel, North Star, sold 20 Charolais-cross steers, averaging 307kg for 340c/kg, while a pen of Euro/Bos Indicus heifers, averaging 316kg made 185c/kg.

Terry McFarland, of Gineroi, Bingera, bought some of the McKinnon family's heifers and was pleased with his purchase.

"I paid about 50c/kg less than I expected today," Mr McFarland said.

"To me, heifers are excellent value.

"You can feed them, and they can go into markets like Coles, or you can put them with a bull if you like."

Andrew Adams, Woondooma North, Delungra, was also looking for trucks to take home the heifers he'd bought at the sale.

He said the heavier heifers would go onto grain feeders while the lighter ones he hoped to feed on forage oats he's planning to grow.

Mr Lehman said many more weaners would come onto the market, and buyers would be choosy.