Charters Towers combined agents yarded a total of 2143 head on Wednesday. Cattle consisted of 1082 prime cattle and 1061 store cattle. The prime cattle consisted of 193 bullocks, 127 heifers, 607 cows and 155 bulls. Store cattle consisted of 758 steers, 288 heifers and 15 cows and calves.
Cattle comprised two bigger lines of Gulf cows and bulls along with smaller lines of finished bullocks and cows. The yarding was drawn from Burketown, Chillagoe, Georgetown, Mt Surprise, Hughenden as well as local and coastal areas.
Prime quotes:
Bullocks were quoted as 2-16c easier, heifers were 1-6c easier, cows unchanged and bulls were 5-20c easier on last week's rates.
Steers and bullocks under 500kg sold to 272c and averaged 245c, and those over 500kg topped at 281c to average 267c. Heifers under 440kg sold to 235c and averaged 206c, while heifers over 440kg topped at 243c, averaging 227c. Cows under 400kg made 195c and averaged 143c, while cows over 400kg reached 215c, averaging 193c. Bulls under 450kg made 280c and averaged 194c, while bulls over 450kg reached 289c to average 241c.
Bullocks topped at 281c, for 12 Brahman bullocks sold on a/c LT and CP Curley, Georgetown that weighed 524kg to return $1473/hd. A line of 58 bullocks a/c LT and CP Curley averaged 277c to return $1491. Best priced trade heifers were presented on a/c JW and CN Gilmore that sold 243c and weighed 470kg to return $1143/hd. The top pen of eight cows were sold by Laroona Pastoral Co for 215c and weighed 571kg to return $1227/hd. Bulls sold on a/c H and S Dahl topped at 286c and weighed 692kg, to return $1979/hd.
Store quotes:
Store cattle were drawn from Hughenden, Mt Surprise, Burketown, Georgetown as well as local and coastal areas. The market improved slightly with steers up to 11c dearer and heifers up 3c.
Steers under 200kg reached 282c to average 258c, steers 200 - 320kg sold to 270c, averaging 245c, steers 320 - 400kg topped at 272c and averaged 252c and steers over 400kg sold to 155c to average 155c. Mickeys under 400kg sold to 280c, averaging 217c. Heifers under 200kg topped at 200c and averaged 155c, heifers 200 - 320kg sold to 186c, averaging 160c, and heifers 320 - 370kg made 198c to average 186c.
A pen of 20 steers a/c Burlington Cattle Co made 272c and weighed 324kg, returning an average of $880/hd. A pen of 38 mickeys on a/c BA and NE Wehl, made 264c to return $599/hd. A good pen of eight heifers a/c Fanning Downs made 200c, weighed 141kg and returned an average of $282/hd. Cows and calves were insufficient to quote.