Many sellers had pre-sale nerves with lacklustre export demand and the fallout from the suspension of the live export trade in the past month but the buyers still came from around Australia to put together deck-loads of quality single-mark cattle with 35 registered bidders.

The 2827-head yarding was smaller than anticipated, with the sale of some advertised lines of cattle including six decks of Mt Riddock steers before the sale.

According to Meat & Livestock Australia's National Livestock Reporting Service 192 weaner steers averaged $1.58/kg or $359.70/hd and 2086 yearling steers av$1.59/kg or $596.10. The 141 weaner heifers av $1.63/kg or $432.60 and 408 yearling heifers av $1.43/kg or $548.60.

Three pens of light-weight steers made above $2/kg including the sale-toppers in cents/kg, 71 milk-teeth, EU-accredited Poll Hereford steers. The 313kg steers from Mt Riddock were bought by Elders Katherine for $2.06/kg or $645 to grow out in the Channel Country.

Also cracking the $2/kg barrier was a pen of 26 organic certified Angus steers from Palmer Valley at $2.01/kg. First-time show sale vendors Curtin Springs sold 93 Murray Greys including a pen of 45 weighing 215kg for $2.01/kg.

Demand was more subdued for the Bos Indicus cattle with Brahman cattle selling between $1.40 and $1.50/kg, about 20c/kg below where the majority of the British-bred cattle sold.

More than half of the cattle sold into South Australia including 317 two-tooth Brahmans averaging 370kg bought by Landmark Adelaide's Trevor Driver for $1.43/kg to put out on the Birdsville Track's flood-out country for 12 to 18 months. Simon Rowe, Princess Royal Station, Burra, also bought a similar number.

Leading the slaughter buyers was T&R Pastoral, Murray Bridge, with around 400hd. Other buyers included Austral Meats and Hardwicks Meats although two southern SA and Victorian abattoirs went home empty handed.

* Full report in Stock Journal, July 7 issue.