Mareeba Combined Agents penned a total of 529 head for Tuesday’s special prime and store sale.
Numbers reduced by 55 head on the previous week. Two major export processors operated along with two local wholesalers. One live export buyer competed on steers, bulls and heifers suitable for the Indonesian feeder market, which helped improve values for some store cattle.
Well finished bullocks improved by 4c, bulls suitable for slaughter sold to a similar rate while slaughter cows slipped in value back 11c. Local trade didn’t manage to hit last week’s top of 237c, back 17c. Local trade cows were back in value by 13c on last week’s top of 239c. Good quality store steers showed gains of 19c. Good quality store heifers gained 5c, and a nice pen of Droughtmasters hit 240c. Store males are still providing good returns for producers up 26c.
Local trade heifers ranged from 211c to 220c and local trade cows made from 200c to 226c. Ox suitable for slaughter sold from 200c to 281c, cows suitable for slaughter made from 180c to 228c, while bulls suitable for slaughter ranged from 170c to 276c.
Store steers topped at 281c, store heifers sold to 240c, younger store bulls reached 264.2c, and cows and calves sold to $510/unit.