SCATTERED but useful rain and the promise of more precipitation in the next week helped to lift prices at George and Fuhrmann's annual Day One Casino weaner sale today.
The 1400 very well bred Hereford and Angus cattle were in generally good to very condition despite the dry conditions, which have affected much of eastern Australia over the summer months.
The champion pen of Hereford steers came from Mark and Kathy Cain and Laurence Stubbs, Cubs Speckle Park, Lynch's Creek. The purebred 351kg Herefords sold for 262c to return $920.
Jim and Jan Smith, Townview Pastoral, Urbenville, had the champion pen of Hereford heifers. The females made 260c. The Smith also topped the Hereford prices with a 301kg pen making 270c to return $813.
The champion Angus steers came from Gordon and Margaret Quinn, Dambaroo, Cudgera Creek. The 347kg top pen of the Quinns' 63 head draft made 296c to return $1024.
Neville Grimes, Tuncester, had the champion Angus heifers with a pen of well grown black baldies.
Casino weaner sales continue on March 28-29 with two days of selling on Thursday and Friday.
Day two, with 1500 European breeds calves, is on Thursday, March 28, and day three, with 1600 head of Bos indicus cattle, is on Friday, March 29.
The day two European breeds sale features 1500 top quality Charolais steers and heifers as well and Limousin-cross and Simmental-cross types.
The day three Bos indicus breeds sale has 1600 outstanding, predominantly Santa/Hereford-cross cattle. There are also top lines of Brangus and Brahman-cross types.
Feature drafts at the day two sale include 200 Charolais weaner steers being offered by Oakburn Pastoral, Ettrick.
