A yarding of 1600 mixed quality cattle were on offer in Emerald on February 1, some categories receiving a slight lift in price.
Most descriptions, however, eased with the continuing dry and numbers starting to flow.
In the prime section, bullocks over 550kg topped at 255c/kg to average 243c, heavy steers 500–550kg lacked in numbers to be adequately quoted, heavy heifers over 400kg topped at 259c and averaged 231c, heavy cows over 520kg topped at 208c and averaged 203c, 450-520kg cows made to 208c to average 198c, while heavy bulls over 600kg reached 233c to average 222c.
In the store section, heavy feeder steers 400–500kg made to 266c to average 251c, while trade feeder steers 350–400kg topped at 279c and averaged 267c. Backgrounder steers 280-350kg made to 320c and averaged 285c, weaner steers 200-280kg sold to 349c and averaged 318c, while light steers under 200kg were too few to quote.
Feeder heifers 350–400kg reached 260c and averaged 237c, backgrounder heifers 280-350kg topped at 278c to average 260c, while weaner heifers 200-280kg reached 297c to average 272c. 2 lots of plainer quality cows and calves on offer, the lot of large frame, aged Euro cross cows with calves at foot from weaners to babies sold to $1160, while a pen of very light condition cows with baby calves at foot sold for $910 per unit.
Highlights:
The Daniels family, Stonybrook, Springsure consigned Droughtmaster bullocks making to 251c weighing 700kg to return $1759, while the Esmond family, Lucknow, Capella sold Droughtmaster cows topping at 207c to weigh 615kg or $1274. The Hurrey family, Crillee, Clermont offered Droughtmaster steers reaching 279c weighing 369kg returning $1030, Jess O’brien, Oklahoma, Capella consigned Brangus steers making 335c to weigh 252kg or $846. The Sams family, Wee-oak, Capella sold Santa steers to 339c weighing 230kg and returning $781.