Mareeba Combined Agents penned a total of 507 head for Tuesday’s prime and store sale. Numbers increased by 172 head on the previous week. Cattle were drawn from a wide area, Gulf, Peninsula, Coast, Tableland as well as local area.
Local trade cattle held value with odd pens selling to above last week’s prices. Best of the steers sold to top of 245c. Good trade heifers topped at 205c for a pen of three. Cows opened stronger for well covered framey types topping at 200c to a low of 165c. Best ox topped at 235c from the Lakeland area. Slaughter cows made a top of 200c up some 20c on last week with most selling in 180 – 160c depending on weight and condition.
Bulls met strong demand from processors, fatteners and traders, with the best topping at 251c and most of the better types selling in 240 – 200c range and tailing down from there. Micky bulls with Brahman content sold to spirited bidding to top at 249c with most in 240 – 200c range and off types to a low of 150c.
Best store steers made up to 285c selling to local competition. Heifers sold to top of 207c with most in 170 – 200c range going to a low of 110c. A few pens of cows and calves were yarded with one pen of 20 Brangus cows with weaner calves down to green calves selling to a top of $880 with another pen of good young Brangus cows with green calves selling to $730.
Local trade steers sold from 215c to 245c, local trade heifers ranged from 163c to 205c and local trade cows made from 165c to 200c. Ox suitable for slaughter sold from 190c to 235c, cows suitable for slaughter made from 145c to 200c, while bulls suitable for slaughter ranged from 123c to 251c.
Store steers topped at 285c, store heifers sold to 207c, younger store bulls reached 249c and cows and calves sold to $880/unit.