Annual Powerhouse weaner sale triumph; more than 4000 head sold at Tamworth

Selling agent Davidson Cameron and Company's Luke Scicluna said the overall average of $1069 for the steers and heifers provided vendors with great returns and buyers plenty of opportunity, too.

"Our vendors told us they were very happy, and the buyers say they can make money on their purchases," he said.

"The buyers know they can buy well in big runs of steers.

"The Brownhill family's Merrilong Pastoral Company sold 250 steers in three lots," he added.

Spring Ridge operation Merrilong kicked off the sale with eight pens. Six of them sold for 420c/kg, with Bottlejac Trading, west of Tamworth, the buyer. The steers averaged between $1090 and $1350. Their body weights ranged between 257kg and 321kg, indicating the evenness of the pure Booroomooka bloodline.

Jim Ralston, GB and JS Ralston, Lorindi, Quirindi, had 110 Booroomooka blood steers that topped at $1378, averaging 333kg. The Lorindi steers weighed 271kg to 333kg and were priced between 408c.kg to 422c/kg. The lighter pen of steers returned $1106.

Gindi Pastoral Company, Spring Ridge, penned 82 Booroomooka blood steers that ranged in weight from 278kg to 333, priced between 410c/kg to 420c/kg and an overall return between $1145 to $1402.

Linton and Robyn Smith, Gun Vale, Baerami Creek, near Denman, had a run of Heart, Cascade, and Tivoli blood Angus steers raised on their country in the Widden Valley. They sold a pen of 15, averaging 333kg at 388c/kg, returning $1292, while a second pen of 22, averaging 377kg, made 400c/kg and returned $1511.

David and Susie Bell, Banoon, Nundle, sold three Angus steer pens, totalling 62, ranging in price from 382c/kg to 410c/kg. Their top-priced pen of 24 averaged 4367kg and returned $1506.

Point Pastoral, Mt Hope, Coolah had a run of 133 steers early in the sale, Coolie Angus blood, that weighed from 216kg to 281kg. They were priced between 432c/kg down to 416c/kg. They returned between $945 and $1182. Point Pastoral also offered two pens of Angus cross steers of 12 and 14 head. They averaged 233kg and 194kg, respectively, and made 410c/kg and 416c/kg, returning $958 and $809.

Another featured line was 230 Charolais/Angus Minnie Vale Charolais blood, mixed-sex weaners offered by Hamblin Pastoral Company, Wairoa, Narrabri.

Glen Hamblin said the family partnership had been using Charolais bulls for almost a decade.

Hamblin Pastoral offered 112 Charolais steers that ranged in price from 368c/kg376kg for a pen of 18, averaging 405kg. These steers returned $1524. The steers ranged in price from $1183 to $1524.

"We love them; they are soft, quiet cattle," he said. These are straight off mum, and we've been selling them in the Powerhouse sale since it began."

WE Dellow Holdings, Hernani Station, Hernani, also offered 200 mixed-sex Charolais cross weaners. The heavier pen of 8, averaging 322kg, sold for 322c/kg, returning $1199.

Three more pens of 18, 19 and 20, from the same vendor, weighed between 247kg and 281kg, selling for 40c/kg up to 408c/kg. The buyers of these three pens was Nutrien, Taroom, Qld.

Galloway Pastoral Company, Warrabone, Carinda, 75 Santa Gertrudis steers, Waco and Rockingham blood. A pen of 31, averaging 295kg, made 394c/kg, returning $1163. A pen of 28, averaging 277kg, made 394c/kg, returning $1094. Both pens were bought by Grant Daniel Long, Meandarra, Qld, while the third pen of 34, averaging 260kg, made 404c/kg, returning $1052 and were bought by Nutrien, Taroom, Qld.