A YARDING of more than 3400 head greeted buyers to Dalby's weekly store sale on Wednesday as competition for quality steers drove prices to a $2592 a head top.
Steers made up the majority of the yarding as competition from restockers and processors caused the majority of weaner steers to sell from 570 cents a kilogram to 794c/kg, while yearling steers weighing between 300kg and 400kg sold from 480c/kg to 618c/kg.
Dalby stock agent Joe Lehman, Grant, Daniel, Long, said there was plenty of high quality steers on offer during the sale.
"There was some Charolais-cross steers that sold for 548.2c/kg, that weighed 472.9kg and sold for $2592 on behalf of WJ Kunnerow, Pittsworth," Mr Lehman said.
"GT and CE Patterson, Kingaroy, sold Simmental steers for 738.2c/kg, weighing 271.8kg, for $2006.
"The Price family, Moura, sold a draft of Speckle Park yearling steers weighing 292kg on average, for 696.2c/kg or $2035.
"Another highlight was from the McLaughlin family, which sold yearling Angus steers for 706.2c/kg, which weighed 333kg, for a total of $2355, which was unreal."
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The strong prices carried over into the weaner heifer category, as most pens sold from 490c/kg to 670c/kg, while yearling heifers sold from 440c/kg to 590c/kg.
"The heavier end of the cows were making 350c/kg to 378c/kg, which was still quite good money," Mr Lehman said.
"One of the highlights of the section was the Worsfield family from Wandoan, which sold a big draft of Santa Gertrudis-cross cows for 365c/kg, weighing an average of 673kg for a total of $2459.
"There was also a pretty good run of Santa-cross heifers there on account of KC and SC Guy, Goondiwindi, which sold for 550c/kg, weighing 391kg on average, for a total of $2151.
"That draft was probably the highlight of the heifer job in my opinion."
A limited supply of bullocks sold to the wholesale meat trade for 452ckg, while a handful weighing more than 750kg sold to export processors for 412c/kg.
Meanwhile, medium weight two-score cows averaged 329c and made to 337c/kg, while heavy weight cows averaged 368c and made to 383c/kg.
Heavy weight bulls made to 355c/kg.
A small yarding of cows with calves reached $3650 a unit, while pregnancy-tested-in-calf cows PTIC cows sold to $2600 a unit.
"I'd say the cows were back four to eight cents a kilogram from recent sales, but the rest of the job was pretty firm," Mr Lehman said.
"Overall, it was a really strong sale with cattle from across the district as well as central and western Queensland."
Billy Jupp
Billy is a Senior Livestock Journalist for the Queensland Country Life based in Toowoomba. He has worked for a variety of different ACM mastheads during the past five years including the Namoi Valley Independent, Northern Daily Leader and The Land.
Billy is a Senior Livestock Journalist for the Queensland Country Life based in Toowoomba. He has worked for a variety of different ACM mastheads during the past five years including the Namoi Valley Independent, Northern Daily Leader and The Land.
