Strong market demand for quality cattle at Grafton on Thursday was an unexpected surprise given the hot and dry conditions throughout the state as 1290 head plus progeny went under the hammer.
Topping the market were two pens of Angus heifers, PTIC to a Yugilbar-bred Sangus bull by Sue Barnier, Deep Creek, Baryulgil selling for $1700 to Rob McKenzie, Bentley via Lismore. Another cow and calf from the same line sold for the equivalent and also went to the same bidder.
A pen of five Brangus cow and calves from Leanda Phelps, Woodford Island, sold for $1740.
Brahman cows and calves from Winfield Gillett, Fineflower via Copmanhurst made $1660 and sold to Ben and Maryann Thompson, Glen Elgin.
“The sale, in this season, bucked all expectations considering the dry conditions on the North Coast and the fires in the west,” said agent David Farrell.
Droughtmaster bullocks from PK Rural, Gilletts Ridge, Upper Coldstream, also sold to $1700 and went to Gus Raymond, Bellingen, for fattening. The sale was a credit to the breed considering this part of the Clarence is feeling the worst of the summer bake – the second in as many years, with places normally immune to drought, Ulmarra, Southgate and Lawrence, feeling the worst of it.
Upriver there is a different story at Gordonbrook Station where enough storm rain has delivered one of the best seasons for feed in living memory, according to Grafton agent Mitch Donovan.
John Sullivan from Gordonbrook Station sold weaners straight off their Brahman F1 mothers, 300kg to fetch 368c/kg realising $1100. Terminals bulls were Charolais and Simmental.
Another upriver operation, Heifer Station, sold weaner steers out of F1 cows to an Angus bull for 425c/kg weighing 194kg to realise $824.
Twenty-six head of two-year-old Angus steers from Orlando and Bruno Dalpozzo, Coffs Harbour, topped at 334c/kg weighing 443kg to realise $1480.
Meanwhile Lance Timms sold a two year old steer for $1724.
Robert Oxenbridge, Kungala, sold Santa/ Hereford feeder steers to 330c/kg weigh 374kg to make $1236.
Cows with calves sold dearer than last month while bidding for quality heifers was ‘fierce’ according to Mr Donovan. Bullocks sold to a cheaper trend as no local fatteners were in the market, given the dry conditions on the lower river. Feeder steers lost ground compared to January but still returned decent money topping at 330c/kg. Angus steers from A and S Lloyd topped at 498c/kg.
