Emerald agents yarded just over 1000 head on March 1 with the recent rain surging store steer prices up to a tremendous 398c.
All steers saw an increase on the average apart from heavy feeder steers and steers 500-550kg due to a lack of numbers in these categories. Bullocks, heifers over 400kg and cows also received a slight kick today with store cows once again a driving force in the cow market.
In the prime section, bullocks over 550kg topped at 265c to average 265c, heavy steers 500–550kg reached 276c to average 244c, heavy heifers over 400kg topped at 261c and averaged 244c, heavy cows over 520kg topped at 218c and averaged 216c, 450-520kg cows made to 218c to average 212c, while heavy bulls over 600kg reached 250c to average 237c.
In the store section, heavy feeder steers 400–500kg made to 288c to average 242c, while trade feeder steers 350–400kg topped at 313c and averaged 262c. Backgrounder steers 280-350kg made to 368c and averaged 307c, weaner steers 200-280kg sold to 398c and averaged 331c, while light steers under 200kg topped at 398c to average 356c. Feeder heifers 350–400kg reached 265c and averaged 217c, backgrounder heifers 280-350kg topped at 294c to average 221c, while weaner heifers 200-280kg reached 284c to average 250c and heifers under 200kg topped at 250c averaging 245c due to insufficient numbers.
Highlights
The Barlow family of, Amaroo, Comet consigned Charolais cross steers reaching 276c weighing 550kg and returning $1519, while Charles and Carmel Mckinlay of, Bloodwood, Yamala sold Chabray cows topping at 218c to weigh 586kg or $1280, Charles and Carmel also offered Brahman heifers that reached 257c and weighed 491kg to return $1264.