A total of 1453 head were yarded for the Charters Towers store and prime sale held on Wednesday, May 25, which consisted of 1150 prime cattle and a smaller offering of 303 store types.
Slaughter lines yarded comprised 140 bullocks, 83 heifers, 889 cows and 38 bulls.
Sale agent Jim Geaney, Geaney’s Real Estate and Livestock, Charters Towers said the market for slaughter cattle was well supported by new and regular buyers.
“The yarding included mostly very good lines of meatworks cows which increased 8-10c/kg in value from the previous sale which were well supported by well-conditioned smaller lots of bullocks which reached similar prices to last week,” Mr Geaney said.
“Heifers also sold well, increasing in value by 5-7c, compared to the last store and prime sale here,” he said.
The yarding was drawn from Einasleigh, Georgetown, Bowen, Mt Isa, local and coastal areas.
Heifers to 440kg reached 243c to average 216c, no heifers over 440kg yarded for the sale.
Cows to 400kg topped at 199c to average 184c, while those over 400kg hit 216c to average 199c.
Steers and bullocks to 500kg peaked at 280c to average 227c, while those over 500kg made 260c to average 246c. Bulls over 450kg reached 224c to average 210c.
A pen of 13 bullocks sold by Scona Pastoral made 260c weighing 560kg to return $1457/head, and the top priced trade heifers were sold by The Myles family, Charters Towers, making 243c to weigh 440kg and return $1070.
A pen of cows sold by E & H Matthews made 214c and weighed 520kg to return $1115, while bulls sold by D Muller, Charters Towers, topped at 224c and weighed 710kg to return $1591.
Store cattle yarded for the sale comprised 153 steers, 12 x 12 cows and calves and 140 heifers.
Store cattle were in short supply but were of good quality and buyer support was strong with one line of 102 weaner heifers averaging 295c.
Eight steers to 200kg averaged 301c, 200-320kg steers hit 309c to average 290c, steers 320-400kg made 270c to average 255c and four steers over 400kg averaged 244c.
Heifers to 200kg peaked at 295c to average 291c, 200-320kg heifers topped at 295c to average 266c, and those between 320-370kg hit 238c to average 219c. No heifers over 370kg yarded.
A pen of 34 no-5 Brahman steers sold by Eric Ellems, made 309c and weighed 253kg to return $783, and a good line of 102 Droughtmaster no-5 heifers sold by SPK Pastoral, Spring Creek, made 295c, weighed 192kg and returned $566.
Kenny Cameron, Mt Surprise, sold 8 x 8 cows and calves for a good return of $980/unit.
The next prime and store sale will be held on Wednesday, June 1.
