A REDUCED yarding at Sarina's prime and store sale on April 19 may have still produced the goods when it came to quality and numbers, but apprehensive bidders took a while to warm up as the hammer fell across the lines.
Greg Boto from Four Mile Station, Nebo, added 10 heifers, nine steers and three "very good quality" in-calf cows (from Travis Parry) to his lot and said he witnessed an unpredictable result at the sale.
"I'm an opportunity buyer. I buy what I think is on value and I'll buy anything if it's value," he said.
"The cattle market at the moment is in no man's land. No one knows where it wants to go. It's weird. There's good cattle, some real cheap cattle here today and there's some dearer cattle...you couldn't pick it."
Some pens took a while to gain traction in the bidding wars, with starting bids dropping by the hundreds before picking up.
Mr Boto said the last two years had resulted in a tough start to the season, with purebred Brahman steers and heifers taking "a big hit".
"There's nothing wrong with them. The market's just set against them. But as far as agents go, they yarded a good quality mob of cattle. Very good quality," he said.
"(Agents) are doing it tough too. They don't want to see sales like this."
After holding onto stock at the end of 2023, Mr Boto said too many fat cattle on the market had hurt buyer confidence.
"The meat works are getting heaps of fat cattle thrown at them at the moment. They're 6-8 weeks out on their bookings. It's supply and demand," he said.
"I'm optimistic enough. We've seen it before. We've just got to suck it up and walk on. There are no volume buyers out there in the market at the moment, even in the big sales.
"Queensland has had a terrific season this year and we all got more grass than we'd had in the last 20 years, but it still hasn't reflected into the cattle market. I think that's what's happened; the last two years, with enormous cattle prices, a lot of people got burnt and they're hurting and now they're very shy...and cautious.
"The cattle market as it is at the moment...if you don't like the heat in the kitchen, get out of the kitchen."
GDL livestock agent Tony Dwyer said he was happy with the quality of yarding and the outcome of the sale - which he said was in line with other markets, despite light heifers being a little harder to move.
"We had a reduced yard just due to a couple of showers on the coast over the last couple of days...we ended up with 656 head," he said.
The yarding comprised of 326 Steers, 265 Heifers, 4 PTIC Cows, 31 Cows, 10 x 10 C&C and 20 Bulls and Micks.
Light weaner steers went for $250-$710, weaner steers for $600-$910 and feeder steers for $950-$1260.
Light weaner heifers went for $240-$580, weaner heifers for $400-$660 and feeder/breeder heifers for $710-$1060.
Meatworks cows went for $750-$820, PTIC cows/heifers for $750-$1000 and cows and calves for $880-$1210.
Sale highlights included VGQ Brangus Weaner Steers from Gavin & Alicia Beckman, Bloomsbury, which sold to top at $790. They also offered a quality line of Brangus Weaner Heifers at $660.
Gary Campbell, Netherdale sold flatback Weaner Steers to top at $910.
N & M Bowes, Eton sold Braford Cows & Calves for $1210.
Twin Hills Ag, Sarina sold Brangus Feeder Steers to $1260 with the No 3 Steers making $1030.
Mr Dwyer said Brahman cattle were still struggling in the market, with crossbred cattle selling as more suitable options for feedlot orders.
"With the buyers, they're just trying to more or less buy them as reasonably as they can. That's the auction system," Mr Dwyer said.
"Cattle ended up making proper values at the end there.
"Your higher prices are naturally heavier cattle. Take that good line of Brangus steers we had towards the end of the second line (from Gavin and Alicia Beckman). Quality cattle made pretty good money."
A good gallery of buyers turned out from the local Sarina region, with some cattle also sent to Moranbah and Rockhampton.
"The line of Beckman's steers were a very good line. The steers and heifers. There were a couple of good runs of good Brahman heifers there," Mr Dwyer said.
"Brahman made their rate...(but) buyers dictate that."
Sarina's next prime and store sale will held on May 3.
One thousand head is expected to be yarded at Nebo on April 26.
