Weaner steers and heifers at Thursday's AWN Squires Inverell sale continued to hold the line, with solid demand from Queensland buyers boosted by good supplies of grass, forage oat crops and good rainfall.
A total of 1847 mixed-sex weaners, including 681 heifers and 1166 steers, averaged 396c/kg, topping at 428c/kg with an overall average of $1058 and peaking at $1479.
There was a good yarding of steers, with 419 head, ranging in weight from 200kg to 280kg, priced between $340c/kg and 428c/kg, averaging 412c/kg. The top price was $1154, averaging $1041.
There were 495 steers in the 280kg to 330kg range, with an average price of 412c/kg ranging from 340c/kg to 414c/kg. The top price was $1305, averaging $1213.
Heavier weaner steers in the 330kg to 400kg range were priced between 340c/kg to 402c/kg, averaging 370c/kg. The top price was $1369, averaging $1310.
Only 12 heavier steers from the 400kg to 500kg range were penned and averaged $1479.
The most significant numbers were drawn from the 200kg to 280kg range in the heifer portion, with 402 of the 681 offered. This category sold from $677 to $1045, averaging $826.
In the 280- to 330-kg heifers, 193 were priced between 260c/kg and 330c/kg, averaging 307. Their top price was $1073, with an average of 947.
The selling agents penned 64 heifers ranging in weight from 330 to 400kg, priced between 290c/kg to 342c/kg, averaging 319c/kg. They ranged in price from $960 to $1150, averaging $1075.
The Queensland buyers were from centres like Condamine, with the Teys Australia feedlot securing 176 head. Ray White Rural, Tara, bought 120, while Nutrien Ag Solutions, Taroom, bought 133 head.
GDL Meandarra, bought 42 head, while GDL Toowoomba bought 55. Local buyers like BJA Stock and Station Agents went to work in the early pens of the sale, buying 54.
One of the volume vendors was Smithston Farms, Glencoe, with 115 Angus steers, 18 Angus cross steers, 36 Charolais cross steers, 58 Angus and Angus cross heifers, 14 South Devon cross heifers and 10 Charolais cross heifers.
Clerkness Pastoral Company offered 158 Angus cross steers, with the feedlot buyer from Condamine buying more than a third of these weaners. Clerkness also offered 39 Santa Gertrudis steers and 83 Charolais cross steers.
The Bradshaw Family Trust, Tenterfield, also offered Santa Gertrudis cross steers, 39 of which were bought by Northern Livestock and Property, Moura, Queensland, while 58 Angus cross steers from the same vendor went the same way.
Simon Chamberlain
I have comprehensive experience in rural and regional journalism, as well as more than six years as a media officer for several politicians and worked in local government. I rejoined The Land in May 2022 and have loved being back in harness, reporting on a massive range of topics.
I have comprehensive experience in rural and regional journalism, as well as more than six years as a media officer for several politicians and worked in local government. I rejoined The Land in May 2022 and have loved being back in harness, reporting on a massive range of topics.
