Charters Towers Combined Agents yarded a total of 1385 cattle on October 11, consisting of 592 prime cattle and 793 store cattle.
The prime cattle consisted of 170 bullocks, 28 heifers, 287 cows and 107 bulls while the store cattle consisted of 359 steers, 410 heifers and 24 cows and calves.
Prime cattle comprised of less quality and conditioned bullocks with limited runs of good finished cows. About 20 per cent of the yarding consisted of meat works bulls that sold to slightly dearer rates. There were pens of very light conditioned cows showing their light condition from the dry season and sold to cheaper rates.
The yarding was drawn from as far north as Cape York, Normanton, Georgetown, Forsayth, Mt Garnet and Innisfail and as far south as Collinsville and as far west as Cloncurry, Hughenden, Winton and Prairie.
Bullocks under 500kg were 5-9c dearer, Bullocks over 500kg were 6-9c cheaper and heifers were 4-6c dearer. Cows over 400kg were 2-4c dearer while cows under 400kg sold to cheaper rates by up to 10c/kg.
Prime quotes saw bullocks top at 269c/kg on behalf of Mt McConnell Grazing, Mt McConnell, Collinsville, for 14 steers that weighed 414kg to return $1113 per head.
Best priced trade heifers were presented on account of Mt McConnell Grazing, Mt McConnell, Collinsville, which made 247c/kg to weigh 416kg and return $1027 per head.
R Flute, Chatfield Station, Richmond, sold eight cows for 208c/kg to average 593kg and return $1245 per head.
The top pen of cows were sold by B & F Murray, Oaklands Station, Balfes Creek, for 209c/kg and weighed 596kg to return $1246 per head.
Nine bulls sold on behalf of KR & DM Bush Family Trust, Kennedy, topped at 246c/kg and weighed 541kg to return $1332 per head.
Store cattle saw similar values again this week on both feeder steers and feeder heifers with a large portion of the yarding consisting of young bulls in the 200-320kg range selling to 290c/kg to average 270c/kg. Feeder steers in the 200kg range sold to 354c/kg to average 345c/kg. Steers over 400kg sold to 310c/kg to average 310c/kg.
A pen of steers on account of RA & BM Muller, Bently, made 354c/kg and weighed 182kg and realised $645 per head.
A good pen of 12 heifers on behalf of Mt McConnell Grazing, Mt McConnell, Collinsville, made 285c/kg, weighed 288kg and returned a good average of $765 per head.
Cows and calves sold on account of N & S Cooper, Mountainview Road, Majors Creek, returned $1120 per unit.