Charters Towers Combined Agents yarded a total of 2590 head on Wednesday. Cattle consisted of 647 prime cattle and 1943 store cattle. The prime cattle consisted of 162 bullocks, 24 heifers, 347 cows and 114 bulls. Store cattle consisted of 692 steers, 664 mickeys, 575 heifers and 12 cows and calves.
Cattle were comprised of limited lines of prime bullocks and cows supported by good lines of store steers. The yarding was drawn from Normanton, Hughenden, Chillagoe, Georgetown, as well as local and coastal areas.
Prime quotes:
Bullocks were quoted as 5-6c dearer, heifers were unchanged, cows were 4-6c dearer and bulls were 4-6c dearer on last week's rates.
Steers and bullocks under 500kg sold to 270c and averaged 238c, and those over 500kg topped at 274c to average 260c. Heifers under 440kg sold to 211c and averaged 180c, while heifers over 440kg topped at 199c, averaging 190c. Cows under 400kg made 160c and averaged 113c, while cows over 400kg reached 185c, averaging 161c. Bulls under 450kg made 268c and averaged 257c, while bulls over 450kg reached 286c to average 236c.
Bullocks topped at 271c/kg, for nine ox sold on a/c Heather Furber, Einasleigh that weighed 577kg to return $1563/head. Best priced trade heifers were presented on a/c GK Glaister, Bluewater that sold 211c and weighed 440kg to return $929/hd. A pen of trade steers sold a/c Heather Furber for 274c weighed 504kg to average $1382.
The top pen of cows were sold by SJ and RJ Neal for 185c and weighed 529kg to return $980/hd. Bulls sold on a/c SJ and RJ Neal topped at 286c and weighed 720kg, to return $2060/hd.
Store quotes:
Store cattle were mixed quality with majority being steers and young males. There was a better gallery of buyers and the market was stronger.
Steers under 200kg reached 286c to average 268c, steers 200 - 320kg sold to 274c, averaging 255c, and steers 320 - 400kg topped at 265c and averaged 247c. Mickeys under 400kg sold to 288c, averaging 261c. Heifers under 200kg topped at 200c and averaged 155c, heifers 200 - 320kg sold to 196c, averaging 164c, and heifers 320 - 370kg made 192c to average 192c.
A pen of seven steers a/c Timaru, Prairie made 284c and weighed 183kg, returning an average of $519/hd. A pen of 25 mickey bulls sold a/c EJT and KL Camp, Floraville, Bourketown weighed 326kg to realise $940/hd.
A good pen of 12 heifers a/c Green Hills Cattle, Georgetown made 199c, weighed 172kg and returned an average of $344/hd. Ten cows and calves sold on a/c P Bucknell, Woodstock returned at $880/unit.