Mareeba Combined Agents penned a total of 315 head for this week’s Prime and Store Sale. Cattle were drawn from Ravenshoe, Lakeland Downs, Cooktown, Daintree, Coen, Mt Carbine, Dimbulah, Mareeba, Atherton Tablelands and Innisfail areas. Numbers increased by eight head.
The market was presented with some very good quality local trade steers, where values improved by 2c/kg. Local trade heifers improved 11c and local trade cows were back 5c. Competition was stronger slaughter ox, up by 3c. Cows were back 3c and bulls improved by 3c on last week.
The sale was attended by one major export processor, one southern trader, three local wholesalers, and a larger group of local buyers and fatteners. Rates rose substantially for store steers. Two pens of Droughtmaster steers from Mt Surprise made 326c and 319c respectively, one pen making well above last week’s rate by 43c. Store males gained 20c for the best on offer.