One vendor who was happy with his results at Tuesday's Roma store sale was local cattleman John York of Taunton, who sold a line of 60 Santa Gertrudis and Simmental cross vendor bred feeder steers.
Mr York's milk and two tooth steers with an average weight of 416 kilograms sold for 275c/kg to return a top price of $1365/head and average $1150/head.
Roma selling agent Stephen Goodhew of PJH Livestock and Property said Mr York would normally take the steers through to bullock weights himself using his grass and supplementary feeding.
"He made the decision to offload due to the dry weather," Mr Goodhew told Queensland Country Life.
"They sold well, and he is happy with the results."
Mr Goodhew said with the spare paddock Mr York could spread his cows out and look after his core breeders as the dry started to bite.
He said the combined agents yarded 3856 cattle with the overall steer market firm to a shade easier on the previous week.
"At the moment the Roma market can sustain a yarding of about 3800 head, but if the yarding increases and it continues to stay dry, the job will get a lot harder," he said.
"We found the heifer market hard this week, with ordinary prices as not many producers are chasing the lighter weight females.
"Also older cows could not sustain the prices of the previous week's result."
He said there are a lot of older cows coming onto the market as producers were tightening up numbers, to make room and free up their country.
"There is also a absence of interstate buyers due to their conditions, and NSW producers are also consigning cattle north of the border to chase a better market," he said.
The market saw weaner steers under 200kg top at 248c/kg and average 208c/kg while weaner steers in the 200-280kg range reached 316c/kg and averaged 274c/kg.
Steers in the 280-330kg range reached 290c/kg and averaged 257c/kg, and steers in the 330-400kg range reached 280c/kg and averaged 260c/kg.
Feeder steers in the 400-500kg range topped at 284c/kg and averaged 274c/kg.
Andromeda Cattle Co, Eddington, Mungallala sold Charolais cross steers to 316c/kg, reaching a top of $806 to average $695/head.
John Sylvester, Frogmore. Surat, sold Angus steers to 290c/kg, reaching a top of $873 to average $757/head. The Angus heifers sold to 198c/kg, reaching a top of $550 to average $461/head.
A.R. Roberts, Tantatton, Wallumbilla sold Blonde D'Aquitaine cross steers to 284c/kg, reaching a top of $1516 to average $1447/head.
Sutton Beef, Bundabar, Glenmorgan sold Angus cross steers to 280c/kg, reaching a top of $1,143 to average $1087/head.
Heifers under 200kg topped at 192c/kg and averaged 161c/kg, while in the 200-280kg range topped at 200c/kg and averaged 162c/kg.
Heifers in the 280-330kg range topped at 204c/kg, averaging 169c/kg. while in the 330-400kg range topped at 218c/kg, averaging 182c/kg.
Heifers in the 400-500kg range topped at 226c/kg, averaging 201c/kg.
FJ Ahern, Murweh Station, Charleville sold Euro cross heifers to 226c/kg, reaching a top of $998 to average $921/head.
Sally Lee, Nangarie, Roma sold Angus heifers to 208c/kg, to return $749/head.
Helen Walker
Helen is the Toowoomba-based journalist who loves nothing better than covering anything horse sport related, however she covers all commodities and personality yarns. Over the years she has lived in Brisbane, Rockhampton, Longreach and Roma filing stories for the 'bible of the bush'. Contact 0459 827414.
Helen is the Toowoomba-based journalist who loves nothing better than covering anything horse sport related, however she covers all commodities and personality yarns. Over the years she has lived in Brisbane, Rockhampton, Longreach and Roma filing stories for the 'bible of the bush'. Contact 0459 827414.
