Charters Towers combined agents yarded a total of 3566 cattle on Wednesday, consisting of 1523 prime cattle and 2043 store cattle.
The prime cattle consisted of 339 bullocks, 204 heifers, 494 cows and 486 bulls. Store cattle consisted of 1014 steers, 1017 heifers and 12 cows and calves.
Cattle consisted of some small lines of well finished slaughter cattle with a larger percentage showing signs of the season.
The yarding was drawn from Mt Isa, Cloncurry, Richmond, Hughenden, Tablelands, Mt Coolon, Belyando as well as local and coastal areas.
Prime quotes:
Bullocks were quoted 15c easier, heifers were 5c dearer, cows were 15c easier and bulls 45c easier on last week's rates.
Steers and bullocks under 500kg sold to 390c and averaged 360c, and those over 500kg topped at 370c to average 350c. Heifers under 440kg sold to 368c and averaged 349c, while heifers over 440kg topped at 342c, averaging 335c. Cows under 400kg made 315c and averaged 253c, while cows over 400kg reached 310c, averaging 282c. Bulls under 450kg made 436c and averaged 319c, while bulls over 450kg reached 356c to average 317c.
Bullocks topped at 366c for three ox sold on a/c LP Farming and Grazing, that weighed 627kg to return $2294/hd. Best priced trade heifers were presented on a/c RB Grazing, that sold for 368c, weighing 389kg to return $1430/hd. The top pen of cows were sold by K and S Hodgetts for 310c, weighing 580kg to return $1799/hd. Bulls sold on a/c Nardoo Pastoral NQ topped at 350c and weighed 680kg, to return $2381/hd.
Store quotes:
Store cattle were plentiful in supply, with a couple of good lines of light weight steers and heifers present. Overall the market trend was firm to 10c dearer with the exception of a good line of 196 grey Brahman future breeder heifers a/c Kenilworth Brahmans, which weighed 224kg to return a saleyard record commercial price of $2291/hd.
Steers under 200kg reached 526c to average 481c, steers 200 - 320kg sold to 454c, averaging 376c, steers 320 - 400kg topped at 396c and averaged 376c and steers over 400kg sold to 394c to average 390c. Heifers under 200kg topped at 1190c and averaged 501c, heifers 200 - 320kg sold to 1190c, averaging 483c, heifers 320 - 370kg made 368c to average352c.
A pen of 16 steers a/c G Everingham Past made 526c and weighed 171kg, returning an average of $899/hd. A pen of 14 steers a/c Big Country made 392c and weighed 420kg to return $1647. A good pen of six heifers a/c Big Country made 362c, weighed 357kg and returned $1291/hd. Four cows and calves sold on a/c Everingham Pastoral returned $1440/unit.
