Feeder weight steers sold to $1533 during a limited yarding of cattle at the Inverell Livestock Exchange on Thursday with just 130 head sold liveweight and another 99 offered through open auction.
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The quiet sale followed the dearest prime sale the week before and yet the majority of cattle sold went back to the paddock within a 70kilometre radius, as graziers look to keep the wheels of their industry in motion.
Steers to 200kg, both of them, sold to a top of 468c/kg or $819 while steers 200 to 300kg, 50 head (155 head last month), averaged 489c/kg or $1127 (446c/kg or $1169 last month) and reached a top of 550c/kg - 10c/kg higher than last month for Red Angus, 200kg - and $1365 for Murray Grey cross, 295kg at 463c/kg.
Steers 300 to 400kg averaged 480c/kg or $1521 (399c/kg or $1339 last month) and reached a top of $1553 (1541 last month) for Angus, 323kg, from Steve Hart, Copeton Dam, going back to the paddock to put on more weight.
There were no heavy steers.
Lightweight heifers to 200kg averaged 453c/kg or $877 (406c/kg and $722 last month) and reached a top of 480c/kg and $931.
Heifers 200kg to 300kg, 40 head (170 head last month), averaged 456c/kg or $1081 (413c/kg or $1036 last month) and reached a top of 476c/kg - for Red Angus that went to the Tablelands - and $1179 for cross bred cattle, 293kg, which stayed local.
Cows tested in calf along with cows with calves sold open auction with best Brangus, four to six months in calf, making $1620.
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Angus back to Brangus, 2-6 months in calf, made $1500.
A large pen of 27 cross bred cows lately running with an Angus bull, with calves at foot, made the top price of $2700 ($2500 last month).
Grass finisher Peter Trow, Glen Innes, managed to land a rare bid not topped by a commission buyer and was pleased with his purchase of a pen of Santa Gertrudis cross cows and their calves, with the cows running with a poll Santa bull, for $2240 a head.
"The cows are fat and I will try to keep them that way and sell them which will mean I get the calves for a good price. We can make money with these cattle."
Mr Trow said the trouble with this season has been that cattle at store sales are too fat with little room to put more on them, and therefore a lack of opportunity for the trader.
