Charters Towers Combined Agents yarded a total of 797 cattle, consisting of 502 prime cattle and 295 store cattle. The prime cattle consisted of 76 bullocks, 25 heifers, 338 cows and 63 bulls. The store cattle consisted of 173 steers, 102 heifers and 20 cows and calves.
Cattle comprised of minimum lines of finished bullocks with a good line of well finished cows and limited bulls. The yarding was drawn from Burketown, Greenvale, Georgetown, local and coastal areas.
Prime Quotes:
Bullocks were quoted 7c dearer, heifers were 3c dearer, cows were 2c dearer and bulls were 42c easier on last week’s rates.
Heifers under 440kg sold to 212.2c and averaged 196.2c, while heifers over 440kg topped at 218.2c, averaging 215.1c. Cows under 400kg made 190.2c and averaged 135.9c, while cows over 400kg reached 198.2c, averaging 180.7c. Steers and bullocks under 500kg sold to 239.2c and averaged 213.4c, and those over 500kg topped at 256.2c to average 249.7c. Bulls under 450kg made 244.2c and averaged 181.6c, while bulls over 450kg reached 240c to average 198.4c.
Bullocks topped at 256c sold on a/c H & E Lavery weighing 564kg to return $1445/head. Best priced trade heifers were presented on a/c Mara Plumbing that sold for 218c to weigh 560kg and return $1221/head. The top pen of cows were sold by GG & KE Bird for 198.2c, weighing 590kg to return $1169/head. Bulls sold on a/c WH & DE Alford topped at 224c and weighed 727kg to return $1629/head.
Store Quotes:
Store cattle were comprised of limited lines of larger runs of store steers and store heifers. There was stronger competition on better quality cattle, with lesser types remaining the same as the previous week.
Steers under 200kg reached 252.2c to average 237.7c, steers 200 – 320kg sold to 244.2c, averaging 217.5c, steers 320 – 400kg topped at 234.2c and averaged 213.7c and steers over 400kg sold to 218.2c to average 203c. Heifers under 200kg topped at 202.2c and averaged 200.6c, heifers 200 – 320kg sold to 200.2c, averaging 193.3c, while heifers 320 – 370kg made 212.2c to average 212.2c.
A pen of four steers a/c EM Brown, made 244c and weighed 243kg, returning an average of $592/head. A good pen of nine heifers a/c Campbell Grazing, made 194c, weighed 272kg for a return of $528/head. Nine cows and calves sold on a/c H Clark, returned $890/unit.