The first sale for 2019 saw agents yard just under 3500 cattle at Emerald on January 17. With a dryer than normal Christmas break, stock generally presented in lighter condition than normally would for sales at this time of year, along with drafts from as far as Alice Springs.
The general market trend saw slaughter ready and direct feedlot entry weight stock sell well, while light weight and plain quality cattle were cheaper the lighter and plainer they were.
Bullocks over 550ksg sold to 283c to average 279c, heavy steers 500-550kg topped at 281c, heavy heifers over 400kg sold to 272c for a pen of grain assisted heifers, to average 251c, heavy cows over 520kg made as much as 220c to average 217c, cows 450-520kg peaked at 218c to average 216c, while heavy bulls over 600kg reached 261c.
In the store section, heavy feeder steers 400-500kg sold to 288c to average 278c, 350-400kg steers topped at 277c to average 252c, 280-350kg steers reached to 281c to average 255c, weaner steers 200-280kg made as much as 328c for a single pen of hand painted Euro cross steers to average 244c, while light steers under 200kg sold to 261c.
Feeder heifers 350-400kg sold to 251c to average 232c, heifers 280-350kg topped at 257c to average 223c, weaner heifers 200-280kg topped at 237c to average 198c, while light heifers under 200kg sold to 180c. A single pen of Crossbred cows in store condition with calves at foot ready to wean, sold to $910/unit.
Highlights: The Orr family, Clermont, sold Santa bullocks to 283c to weigh 632kg or $1789. Charlie and Margaret Prince, Janibee, Capella sold Droughtmaster steers to 284c to weigh 447kg or $1271. The Hanrahan and Wells families, Palari, Comet consigned Brahman cross bullocks to 279c to weigh 553kg and $1543.
Noel and Dallas Daley, Wilford, Willows sold Brahman steers reaching 285c to weigh 438kg and returned $1251. The Daley family, Dinga-Ding, Mckinlay sold Brahman steers to 281c to weigh 345kg or $972. Ian and George Bridgeman, Bridgestone, Capella sold Droughtmaster steers to 260c to weigh 327kg to return $852.
The Back family, Holbourne, Springsure sold Euro cross steers to 240c to weigh 343kg or $824. Bill and Estelle Daniels, Stony Brook, Springsure sold Santa heifers to 272c to weigh 460kg and returned $1252. Lloyd Stranks and Leanne West, Sunnyvale, Willows sold Brangus Cows to 219c to weigh 450kg or $986.
The Leane family, Brookong, Capella sold Brahman cows making to 219c and weighed 525kg to return $1150. Trevor and Alison Hamblin, Doris Park, Emerald sold Droughtmaster heifers reaching 245c to weigh 318kg or $781. Ian and Terri Grayson, Native Bee, Emerald sold Euro cross heifers making to 230c to weigh 345kg or $794.
