A quality yarding of 2678 head of cattle were presented at the Colin Say and Co Premier Weaner Sale in Glen Innes on Friday where weaner steers peaked at 353c/kg as Queensland buyers pushed prices well above previous market results.
Dominated by Angus bloodlines alongside pens of Hereford, Simmental, Shorthorn and Charbray infused lines, many sale attendees offered praise to the standard of cattle, which were mostly locally bred and hand fed following trying seasonal conditions.
A large number of cattle were secured into Queensland with Dalby, Taroom and Toowoomba buyers on hand along with representation from Albury, Coonamble, Deniliquin, Inverell, Glen Innes and even Victoria.
Quality lines of steers eclipsed 350c/kg multiple times and peaked at 353c/kg for medium weight Angus steers.
Colin Say and Co director Shad Bailey said the better runs of black steers were 40c to 50c dearer on average than the previous weaner sale three weeks ago.
He predicted the heifer portion was also dearer by 30c to 40c and gave credit to the vendors on the presentation of their cattle, many of them early weaned.
"It just shows the quality of calves that we yard here on the Tablelands or New England that the previous buyers keep coming back," he said.
"There was a lot of buyers from the (Darling) Downs, Dalby, Goondiwindi, Moonie, in through there.
"That's where the bulk of the black steers went to and coloured steers.
"We just started to see a few locals on the back of that recent rain show a bit of interest.
"There was a lot of restockers and heifers went up to Chinchilla and out through the slopes."
The top lines of Angus steers weighing between 200 kilograms and 280 kilograms sold between 322c/kg ($676/hd) to 350c/kg ($945/hd), averaging between 299c/kg to 328c/kg.
Lighter Charolais weighing 200 kilograms to 280 kilograms topped at 280c/kg, averaging 267c/kg or $693/hd.
The champion pen of Angus steers was awarded to the Wyatt family, Sunnyside, Guyra, with their 28 head later selling for 350c/kg at 267 kilograms to return $937/hd.
The champion pen of crossbred steers were awarded to the Morgan family, Guyra, with 25 head sold for 290c/kg at 331 kilograms to return $960/hd.
Champion pen of crossbred heifers were owned by Stroane Partnership, Stroane, and sold for 232c/kg at 245 kilograms to return $569/hd.
The champion pen of Angus heifers were a yarding of 40 head from Allan Fletcher, Glenroy, Glen Innes, and sold for 245c/kg at 259 kilograms to return $634/hd.
Like many producers, Mr Fletcher had battled one of the toughest seasons he had ever seen and offloaded all 80 of his Glenisa and Ascot bloodline weaner heifers at the sale.They were secured by a local Inverell buyer.
He also sold 89 steers, weaned in January. The heavier pen of 22 steers at 310 kilograms sold for 317c/kg to return $980/hd while the remaining 67 head weighed 245 kilograms and sold for 350c/kg to return $896/hd.
A regular vendor at the weaner sale, Mr Fletcher had always hoped of one day claiming a champion ribbon.
"I either had to take them off Mum and sell them or I kept feeding them hoping for a break in the weather," he said.
"I had to sell the lot (of heifers). They were all supplemented on nuts and hay.
"Thankfully this rain has put a bit of renewed interest (in the market)."
Graham and Karen Baker, Mosgiel, Ben Lomond, offered 101 Angus steers and 74 Angus heifers at the sale.
They were fortunate to receive 54 millimetres of rain on the previous Saturday but were hit by a frost the following day.
Running 250 breeders, Mr Baker said they were very happy with the way the cattle had presented.