The decision to swap from buying to selling paid off for Little Valley Brafords at the Elite Braford Breeders Heifer Sale at the Gayndah Showgrounds on Saturday.
The Bennett family from Casino, NSW had been buying at the sale for the last two years, but offered six heifers for the first time this year including the top and second top price lots.
At the fall of the hammer 37 of 43 females sold.
After post sale negotiations 41 of 43 sold to average $3104 for a clearance rate of 95 per cent.
Of those, all 38 registered females sold to average $3151 and three commercial females averaged $2500.
The result was slightly lower than last year's average of $3625 and $8000 top price.
On Saturday, Little Valley Youlamba 3541 peaked in the bidding at $5500 when she was knocked down to the Galloway family of Ascot Neimen, Banana, ahead of underbidders the Webster family, Goomora Brafords, Goomboorian.
The 14-month-old daughter of Little Valley Magician and Little Valley Youlamba 3256 weighed 356 kilograms.
Little Valley also sold the top price joined female, Little Valley Deeva 3394, to the Galloways for $5000.
The two and a half year old female was joined to Little Valley Ned.
She was the daughter of Little Valley Jackpot and Little Valley Lady Deeva 3042 and weighed 540kg.
Little Valley stud principal Cam Bennett said he was pleased to see his females go into stud herds.
"It was a good sale, the cattle market has come back a little bit but it was still good," he said.
"She (Little Valley Youlamba 3541) is by Little Valley Magician and this is his first drop of calves and we brought up two by him.
"We just wanted to bring some good heifers up and hoped they would go into a good stud, and they have gone into Ascot which is a well-known stud.
"And I'm happy with that because when I sell a heifer with quality like this into a stud I can look at the progeny and might be able to buy a bull back and have half her genetics back in our herd."
The Galloway family, who sold four heifers themselves, returned home with the truck just as full with four purchases averaging $4187.
Ascot Neiman stud principal Jill Galloway said the new heifers would help strengthen her herds bloodline and the two studs had a long history of trading cattle.
"I like to get new genetics every year," she said.
"Just to strengthen my female base and they are good heifers.
"The ones that are not mated I will select one of our bulls that is suitable to go with them, possibly an outside bull and that will give us bloodlines of completely new genetics."
Also buying four was AJ Bambling and Co, Gayndah, averaging $2687.
But bulk buying honours went to Lloyd Newitt, Bundaberg with five heifers at $2450 average.
Selling agents; GDL.
Vender averages
Riverton: two average $4375
Greenvale: two average $2250
Chasewater: two average $2875
Ashby: two average $3625
Ascot: one average $3000
Neimen: three average $2416
Downfall Creek: three average $3666
Harriett Valley: seven average $2500
Little Valley: six average $3750
Strathgyle: two average $2875
MCN: three average $2916
Banyula: two average $3000
Goomora: six average $3208
ALSO READ: Brafords top at $8000 at Elite female sale
