Mareeba Combined Agents penned a total of 514 head for this week’s prime and store sale. Numbers were similar to the previous week. Cattle were drawn from across the usual supply areas.
The cattle were in fresh to prime condition and there was only a small number of captured cattle presented. Two major export processors operated along with two local wholesalers and a small number of traders and local store buyers.
The sale average improved by 8c/kg and average weight was 326kg to average $600.55. This was mainly due to 50 per cent of the yarding being young store cattle. Local trade steers and good quality slaughter ox sold to higher rates with an improvement of 10c. Local trade heifers showed some gains of 7c and cows sold to 8c cheaper.
Slaughter cows improved by 7c and bulls eased in price by 25c on the previous week’s top of 240c/kg. One Cape York producer presented a nice line of young steers and males, values held firm to top at 240.2c. The best of the day was a pen of Brangus steers that reached 260c.
Local trade heifers ranged from 196c to 226c and local trade cows made from 192c to 206c. Ox suitable for slaughter sold from 180c to 250c, cows suitable for slaughter made from 160c to 214c, while bulls suitable for slaughter ranged from 150c to 215c.
Store steers topped at 259.2c, store heifers sold to 185c, younger store bulls reached 240c, and cows and calves sold to $570/unit.
