Despite high numbers of weaners yarded across the New England in recent weeks, the market remained firm at the Inverell weaner sale on Thursday.
A 4975-head yarding of predominantly black Angus and Angus cross weaners attracted a solid buying contingent from areas including Taroom, Wandoan, Meandarra and Goondiwindi.
The strong demand saw the best of the steers top at 366 cents per kilogram, while weaner heifers made to 281c/kg.
Steers up to 200kg reached a top of 328c/kg to average 302c/kg for $532 a head, while steers between 200kg and 300kg topped at 366c/kg and averaged 321c/kg for $840 a head.
Heavier steers weighing 300kg to 400kg, made a top of 331c/kg, averaging 309c/kg for $1009 a head, while a small offering of steers weighing 400kg to 500kg topped at 298c/kg to average 294c/kg for $1207 a head.
Heifers up to 200kg reached a top of 272c/kg to average 252c/kg for $431 per head, while heifers between 200kg and 300kg topped at 281c/kg and averaged 253c/kg for $628 per head.
Heavier heifers weighing 300kg to 400kg, made a top of 267c/kg, averaging 245c/kg for $798 per head.
Andrew and Leanne Thompson, "Shali- mar", North Star topped the heifers at 281c/kg to make $851 a head, while John Saunders, “Rosehill”, Inverell sold the top-priced steers for 366c/kg to make $1218 a head.
Feature lines on the day included Langdon and McKinnin, “Pinecliff”, Narrabri who sold 398 head of Charolais-cross and black Angus steers which topped at 331c/kg, and the Masman family of Wamerawa Pastoral Company, “Darling Plain”, Myall Creek who sold 104 Angus heifers to top 254c/kg.
Lehman Stock and Property agent Ben Lehman, Inverell said the sale was very pleasing considering the number of weaners on the market at the moment.
“The way things are, just Monday and Tuesday with the wind blowing and drying things out, people want to sell them,” he said.
“Overall there’s a few plainer quality cattle but mostly very, very good.”
