Quality was mixed but the market lifted at Roma on Tuesday, which marked the final store sale for 2018.
The sale yarded 6357 head, down 2500 head on the previous week, with cattle drawn from local areas, along with several drafts from western Queensland and one draft from South Australia.
Weaner steers under 220kg topped at 324c/kg and averaged 287c/kg, while steers in the 220kg to 280kg range reached 324c/kg and averaged 298c/kg.
Steers in the 280kg to 350kg range hit 320c/kg and averaged 297c/kg, with those in the 350kg to 400kg range making 320c/kg to average 305c/kg.
Feeder steers topped at 326c/kg and averaged 293c/kg.
Weaner heifers under 220kg topped at 288c/kg and averaged 233c/kg, while heifers in the 220kg to 280kg range reached at 290c/kg and averaged 242c/kg.
Heifers in the 280kg to 350kg range hit 290c/kg and averaged 257c/kg, with those in the 350kg to 450kg range making 290c/kg to average 253c/kg.
Cows and calves made to $1380/unit.
Carl Warren, TopX Roma, said the market fired on the back of the last sale for 2018 and the prospective of rain due to the cyclone in far north Queensland.
“We saw steers firm on a mixed yarding of cattle; quality was down on the previous week, however prices strengthened,” he said.
“Heifers were probably one of the biggest movers, making back up to their 290c/kg between light feedlotters and restockers.
“We saw a big market of cows and calves with some exceptional lines of younger Santa cows and calves.
“The mixed quality of the cows and calves made them vary from $700 up to $1380 for the better end of the run where we saw some great pens.”
JF and ML Petrie, Rosedale Road, Roma, sold Charolais-cross steers to 326c/kg, to make $1476.
Glen Valley Pastoral Co, Glen Valley, Jundah, sold Santa steers to 324c/kg, reaching a top of $765 to average $704, and heifers to 282c/kg, for a top of $640.
The Coomber family, Jireh Park, Roma, sold Charolais-cross heifers to 274c/kg, reaching a top of $869 to average $752.
