Charters Towers Combined Agents yarded 1330 cattle consisting of 678 prime cattle and 652 store cattle. The prime cattle consisted of 143 bullocks, 30 heifers, 441 cows and 64 bulls. Store cattle consisted of 287 steers, 359 heifers and six cows and calves.
Cattle comprised good lines of well-conditioned bullocks and cows with competition from all major processors bar one. The yarding was drawn from Croydon, Cloncurry, Hughenden, Normanton, Mt Surprise, local and coastal areas.
Prime quotes:
Bullocks were quoted 5-15c dearer, heifers were 10-20c dearer, cows were 15-25c dearer and bulls were 10-15c dearer on last week's rates.
Steers and bullocks under 500kg sold to 276c and averaged 238c, and those over 500kg topped at 281c to average 264c. Heifers under 440kg sold to 220c and averaged 197c, while heifers over 440kg topped at 230c, averaging 221c. Cows under 400kg made 195c and averaged 146c, while cows over 400kg reached 215c, averaging 186c. Bulls under 450kg made 283c and averaged 241c, while bulls over 450kg reached 289c to average 248c.
Bullocks topped at 276.2c for 15 Brahman ox sold on a/c LT and CP Curley, Sutherland Holding, Georgetown that weighed 641kg to return $1771/head.
Best priced trade heifers were presented on a/c KR and DM Bush Family Trust, Kennedy that sold for 230.2c and weighed 490kg to return $1127/head.
The top pen of cows was sold by CP and NA Ferguson, Cardigan Station, Charters Towers for 199.2c, weighing 541kg to return $1077/head.
Bulls sold on a/c N Leader, Charters Towers topped at 289.2c and weighed 500kg to return $1446/head.
Store quotes:
Store cattle were made up of some good lines of steers and heifers. A full gallery of people were present however bidding was lacklustre with steers quoted 10-20c easier and heifers 20-30c easier than last week's rates.
Steers under 200kg reached 247c to average 247c, steers 200 - 320kg sold to 270c, averaging 247c, steers 320 - 400kg topped at 251c and averaged 241c and steers over 400kg sold to 248c to average 231c. Mickeys under 400kg sold to 248c, averaging 235c. Heifers under 200kg topped at 171c and averaged 154c, heifers 200 - 320kg sold to 187c, averaging 157c, while heifers 320 - 370kg made 160c to average 153c.
A pen of 10 steers a/c Shane Ellems, The Lakes Station, Croydon made 270.2c and weighed 306kg, returning an average of $826/head.
A good pen of heifers on a/c JF Prichard, Plumtree, Charters Towers made 187.2c, weighed 290kg returning $542/head.
Cows and calves sold were insufficient to quote.