Some 1400 head went under the hammer at Casino’s Northern Rivers Livestock Exchange on Friday, hosted by Ramsey and Bulmer, with heavy steers making to $1447.
All steers averaged $919 at 294kg. Heifers made to $1114 and averaged $730 at 246kg.
Top cents per kilo steers were bought for 400c/kg at 345kg to bring $1380, with Doug Bennett buying the weaned Limousin/ Shorthorn cross by the Brugge family, Piora, on behalf of St Mary’s Catholic College, Casino, who will prepare them as led steers for the show circuit. Other steers from the same pen made 370c/kg.
Walter and Joy Whitney, who run poll Hereford cattle on good scrub country at Old Bonalbo, sold a pen of milk tooth Hereford steers, 20 months, that weighed a remarkable 472kg and fetched 297c/kg or $1405, selling to Jackson Agriculture's New England Tablelands' venture for grass-fed finishing. Another pen topped the sale at $1447.
The Dockrill family, Clovass, bought nine Weona Brangus over Santa Gertrudis/ Hereford steers, four tooth, from Michael and Narelle Gray, “The Plain” Bonalbo, for an average of 483kg at 264c/kg to return $1277 and which will be grown out on feed for the export market.
The Gray family also sold a pen of Santa/Hereford steers, two tooth, 481kg at 284c/kg to bring $1368, bought by Ian and Irene Hamilton, East Casino, who went on to purchase 18 steers in total and who will fatten them on grass for the next 18 months before consigning them direct to the Northern Co-operative Meat Works.
Michael and Narelle’s son and daughter-in-law Stephen and Annika Gray, Bonalbo, sold light steers by an Alumy Creek Angus bull over Santa/Hereford females, 208kg at 344c/kg to bring $715, with James Hammond, Casino, the buyer.
Bob Boyle, Bangalow, sold Brangus steers by a Weona Brangus bull, 224kg at 326c/kg to return $726.
Shorthorn steers from John Clarke, Old Bonalbo, sold to the Oatley family, “Woodbrook” Brooklana for 322c/kg. Jim Crowter, Findon Creek via Kyogle sold Charolais cross steer to Woodbrook for 342c/kg.
Bill Ralston and family, “Overton” Bonalbo sold 142 Angus and Angus cross steers, and 152 heifers, with the long lines making an unusual presence at the saleyards.
Steers averaged 246kg at 332c/kg or $819, topping at $999 and selling to Lederville Pty Ltd, Rocky River. Heifers averaged 230kg at 303c/kg or $697 topping at $1017 and selling to BJ Hollitt, Tabulam.
Luke Schiller, Mt Burrell via Murwillumbah, paid to a top of 322c/kg for Ralston heifers and will put them to a Wagyu bull.
The Department of Primary Industries bought steers and heifers, all black, average weight 236kg at 327c/kg, which will be grown out as part of commercial grass fed trials at the Wollongbar research station.
Justin Parker, livestock manager for Hurfords plantation division, bought 30 Brangus heifers, weaned, to a top of 288c/kg, which will go under maturing eucalypts at Lynches Creek via Kyogle and will eventually be sold in calf.