Highest quality yarding ever seen at CQLX weaner and feeder sale

On the back of superb seasonal conditions, Gracemere agents say Monday's sale featured the 'highest quality yarding' of weaners to be ever be presented at CQLX.

The feature sale was part of CQLX's Kubota cattle sale series highlights.

Buyers buoyed with recent rain chased the quality lines among the 3755 head yarding, which featured 2243 steers and 901 heifers.

Weaner steers reached a whopping 850c/kg, while weaner heifers also faired reasonably well, reaching a top of 662c/kg.

Joel Dawson of Brian Dawson Auctions, Livestock and Property Marketing, said it was a tremendous sale.

"There was an excellent line up of cattle on offer and the competition was very strong right throughout, " Mr Dawson said.

"We had a fair few southern buyers present on the day and there was a lot of good competition coming out from Taroom and Wandoan regions.

"But also, we had a lot of the local buyers on hand, allowing plenty of competition right through out."

Mr Dawson said cattle was sourced right across Central and Northern Queensland, including Moranbah, Mackay, Sarina, right down to Miriam Vale and everywhere in between.

"From start to finish, there was mostly top quality cattle. It'd be one of the best yarding of weaner cattle we've ever had here at CQLX," he said.

"All types of breeds were met with good competition.

"Since the rain, the market has firmed up again, but it is holding up well at the moment."

Reaping the benefits of the competitive weaner market on Monday was Lucas Cattle Company, which sold a quality run of 74 Droughtmaster steers.

The steers, offered by Allan and Abbey Lucas of Morinish, averaged 303kg and sold for 722.2c/kg to return $2191/head.

Abbey said the family were extremely humbled with the result.

"To offer a lineup of good quality steers, while the weather and the market is at it's prime, is just great really," Ms Lucas said.

"These steers were ready to be weaned and we also wanted to see how they'd go against the other lines here on the day."

The Lucas family run a commercial Droughtmaster and Charolais/Droughtmaster cross operation at Alton Downs and Morinish.

Ms Lucas said the family are seeing the effectiveness the Droughtmaster breed has in today's cattle market.

"Droughtmasters are very versatile with our southern block, as it's a lot colder and in different country, but they're still doing well for us and that's why we're focusing more on them these days," she said.

"We've got around 1500 head at the moment and it's taken us about 12 years to get to this mark.

"It would be great to continue this high for a while, just to get ahead of it."

A pen of eight Charbray cross steers that made 850c/kg was offered by Murray and Noeline Melvile of Joliffe Park, Biloela, who both offloaded 84 steers and 36 heifers on the day.

The top pen averaged 189kg to equal $1613/head.

Another interesting line offered on the day, was a run of 304 Brangus mickey bulls, offered by Brookstone Pastoral Company.

The large offering sold for 655c/kg and weighed 253kg to return $1660/head.

Nutrien Mackay Livestock's Paul Cooper sold the mickeys on behalf of the Burston family at Moranbah.

Aged between 6-8 months, the mickeys are of Telpara Hills Brangus bloodlines.

Mr Cooper said delays in mustering due to the continue run of wet weather and covid restrictions, forced them to sell them as mickey bulls.

Agents yarded 1690 yearling steers to average 685c/kg or $1847/head, while 690 yearling heifers averaged 589.4c/kg or $1473/head.

Weaner steers averaged 735.1c/kg or $1516/head for the 431 yarded, while 137 weaner heifers averaged 576c/kg or $1302/head.

Onto the feeder market, 122 feeder steers averaged 582c/kg or $2079/head, while 74 feeder heifers averaged 497.8c/kg or $1794/head.