Rain lifts cattle market across the board

Prices lifted significantly across the board compared to the last sale on October 26. There were increases of around 50 cents a kilogram in a fair few categories and over $1 per kilogram improvements across others.

The rain ended up blocking mainly local cattle, so the 6000 or so head that was booked in turned into a yarding of 3807 head.

Due to this, agents have decided to run another sale on December 7 to get through some of the cattle before the end of the year.

GDL branch manager Jack Burgess said about four or five thousand head had already been lined up for next week, with some extras coming forward due to the lift in the market.

Mr Burgess said the quality of the yarding was mixed on Thursday, particularly on smaller weaner cattle. He agreed it could be the result of the drier conditions and the fact heavier cattle had sold earlier in the season.

The main competition was from southern feedlot buyers, but there were also local and southern re-stockers, with big support from the Darling Downs, following good rain.

Mr Burgess said the feedlot guys were chasing heavier, but what was available was mainly smaller cattle, with around 10 to 15 of of the yarding lucky to be over 380kg.

"Normally a good third of those cattle are at a good weight," he said.

Overall buyers were chasing the heavier weaned pens over about 280kg and good quality runs of heavy feeder steers sold to solid demand from southern Queensland.

The yarding saw 43 bulls over 450kg sell to average 207.6c/kg, which was up 40.7c/kg from 166.9c/kg on the previous sale just over a month prior.

Local light weight restocker steers between 220 and 280kg sold to 382.2c/kg with an average price of 342.7c/kg.

Steers 280 to 350kg made to 358.2c and averaged 333.5c/kg.

The return of southern Queensland restockers also improved prices for flat back heifers with the top pen of British cross heifers 280 to 350kg selling at 314.2/kg to an average of 267.7c/kg, which was up 113.1c/kg on the last sale - a 73 per cent increase.

According to GDL, Bos Indicus content and quality did impact averages on young cattle.

"It probably reads a little cheaper than the southern ones [markets/prices] but probably more because of the type.

"The yarding was a bit mixed as in we didn't have a lot of British cattle... probably the bigger lift would be in those British cattle," Mr Burgess said.

Overall, DR & KA Neilson, Two Rivers, Boulia, sold quality run of Charolais X Steers making 336.2c/kg, weighing 342kgs for a return of $1152p/h.

They had also sold Charbray Heifers for 260.2c/kg weighing 571kgs for a return of $1485p/hd and Charolais X Bulls for 226.2c/kg, weighing 822kgs for a return of $1860p/hd.

BD Fegan, Milgery, McKinlay, sold Charolais X Steers for 326.2c/kg weighing 263kgs for a return of $859p/hd.

They had also sold Brahman X Heifers for 230.0c/kg weighing 570kgs for a return of $1311p/hd and Charolais Bull for 226.2/kg weighing 825kgs for a return of $1866p/hd.

Elrose Family Trust, Elrose, Boulia, sold a quality run of Charolais/ Santa Gertrudis X organic heifers topping at 296.2c/kg to weigh 362kgs for a return of $1072p/hd.

D Girdler, Westward Ho, Boulia, sold Charolais X Steers for 326.2c/kg weighing 389kgs for a return of $1270p/hd.