B -DOUBLES are heading north after a buying frenzy by northern restockers booted prices to $1700 at Wodonga.

Restockers at Walgett and Coonamble, in the NSW central west, were keen to secure quality replacement breeders at reasonable prices.

Although the market was much softer than both buyers and vendors anticipated, it was stronger across all categories than Wednesday's special store female sale.

Selling agents Elders, Landmark and Corcoran Parker yarded 3200 cattle for the Premier annual female sale.

Cattle were booked to Bega, Walgett, Coonamble, Deniliquin, Wagga Wagga, Cootamundra, Holbrook, Wangaratta, Corryong, Benalla and Bairnsdale.

Buyers were presented with an impressive yarding of exceptionally bred joined and calved Angus heifers, accompanied by detailed joining information.

It harked back to the former Albury-Wodonga Angus Breeders sale when row upon row of well bred females were offered.

In fact, the sheer number of joined heifers resulted in prices sliding $50-$80 below vendor expectations.

The two-and-a-half-year-old Angus heifers with calves rose by $40 on Wednesday's sale to finish at $1580-$1700.

Those with spring drop calves and redepastured to Angus bulls sold for $1300-$1650.

Ringing the bell was Brian Grosser, Benalla, with a pen of Campbell Farms blood heifers, with Riga blood calves, aged two to four weeks, and selling to Elders Bendigo for $1700.

Mixed age cows with spring drop calves and redepastured were $85 stronger, settling at $1100-$1660.

Angus cows pregnancy tested to Angus bulls for a February calving jumped by $220 to sell for $790-$1500.

Pregnancy tested autumn calving two-and-a-year-old Angus heifers sold at $1170-$1480, and the portion on the point of calving $1200-$1300.

Demand softened for two-year-old Angus heifers, joined for an autumn calving, to finish at $790-$1250.

In the Hereford pens, two and a half year old heifers pregnancy tested for a January-February calving topped at $1275 and sold down to $920.

The black baldy pens were consistent at $1000-$1080.

Pregnancy-tested autumn calving Shorthorn heifers met with solid demand and sold for $1075-$1260.

A small selection of unjoined Angus heifers, aged six to 11 months, sold to cheaper rates of $620-$795.

Bruce Angel, of Tarcutta, sold autumn calving Hereford heifers to $1150, joined black baldies to $1070 and first calf Angus heifers and spring drop calves to $1650.

Mr Angel was disappointed with the price for his large framed Ironbark blood Hereford heifers.

"This was the first time I've sold here because of the numbers of cattle offered and the buyers who attend," he said.

"The softer prices were possibly because of the numbers of PTIC heifers here today - it has a bit to do with it."

Walgett restocker Michael O'Brien bought 196 two to two and a half-year-old autumn-calving heifers.

These added to the 126 females he bought at the Wednesday special store sale.

Mr O'Brien paid up to $1500 for mainly Te Mania blood females.

"It's difficult to buy good quality Angus cattle in the north," he said.

"We had good November-December rain and have an abundance of magnificent feed so am adding to the herd numbers.

"The market was what we thought it would be today - fairly strong."