GOOD quality cattle sold strongly at the Bohning Yards sale at Roe Creek, NT.
With a yarding of about 3900, the sale reached a top of $3.22 a kilogram for steers.
Landmark Alice Springs, NT, manager Steve Gaff said heavy cattle had sold well, exceeding expectations by at least 20 cents/kg.
"But good quality cattle are always going to sell," he said.
"There has been a shortage of heavy fat cattle so there was demand."
He said there was also an advantage with large lines on offer.
"This sale is usually 10-15c/kg higher than southern sales on the day," he said.
Mr Gaff said the dry season meant there was a significant number of light cattle that might not have otherwise been at the sale.
There was strong buying support from interstate in Vic, NSW, SA and Qld, as well as local pastoralists who saw opportunity buying for young cattle.
Territory Rural manager David Eagleson agreed the sale had performed well.
"Cattle that had a bit of condition and weight about them sold well - probably better than I expected," he said.
"Unfortunately there are a lot of areas that are very dry so lighter animals felt the pinch.
"But overall, the cattle sold well."
Mr Eagleson said generally this sale was confined to milk and two-tooth cattle, but this year had been opened up.
"People who need to sell, want to be able to sell all they can," he said.
"It did mean there was a big variation in the sale."
The top price was achieved by Lucy Creek Station, which sold 35 Angus-cross 353kg, milk-toothed steers at sale high of $3.22/kg.
They achieved this price twice, with a second run of 64, 363kg Angus-cross steers of the same age.
A run of 41, two-toothed, 388kg steers sold for $3.20/kg.
Lucy Creek also offered 37 Hereford-cross, 344kg, milk-tooth steers, which sold at $3.02/kg.
A second run of 54, 331kg Hereford steers sold at $2.94/kg.
Sandover Pastoral Co kicked off the sale with a run of 86, two-toothed, 450-486kg, Droughtmaster-Red Angus steers, which sold at $2.91/kg.
A second run of 148, 447-494kg, four-tooth steers, sold at $2.81/kg.
White Gums sold 31, 362kg Santa Gertrudis-cross steers at $2.82/kg.
A second run of 66, 293kg steers sold at $2.52/kg.
TLC Pastoral sold 13, 228kg Santa Gertrudis bull, European Union-accredited, at $2.30/kg and 19, 167kg steers at $2.22/kg.
Camfield Station sold a run of about 300 milk-tooth steers, which sold to $1.75/kg for a run of 21, 188kg steers.
In the heifer offering, Yambah Proprietors offered 104, 364-420kg Shorthorn heifers, which had been running with a Wagyu bull, which sold at $2.25/kg.
In the organic offering, Wellbourn Hill sold 109, 368kg Braford four-tooth steers at $2.68/kg.
A run of 94, 283kg Braford milk tooth steers sold at $2.56/kg.
There was also a selection of 66 milk and two-tooth 306kg Charbray steers, which sold at $2.48/kg.
Wellbourn Hill also sold 55, 295kg Charbray heifers at $2.10/kg.
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