Charters Towers combined agents yarded a total of 2173 head on Wednesday. Cattle consisted of 688 prime cattle and 1485 store cattle.
The prime cattle consisted of 166 bullocks, 46 heifers, 364 cows and 112 bulls. Store cattle consisted of 444 steers, 576 heifers, 457 mickeys and eight cows and calves. Cattle consisted of some good pens of cows with a lot of cattle showing effects of the dry weather.
The yarding was drawn from Homehill, Mt Isa, Burketown, Belyando, Balsalt, Georgetown Cloncurry, coastal and local.
Prime quotes:
Heavy bullocks were quoted 2c dearer, heifers were firm. Cows were 8c easier, and bulls were firm compared to last week's rates.
Steers and bullocks under 500kg sold to 289.2c and averaged 251.7c, and those over 500kg topped at 290c to average 263c. Heifers under 440kg sold to 248.2c and averaged 192.2c. Cows under 400kg made 179.2c and averaged 134.1c, while cows over 400kg reached 222.2c, averaging 200.9c. Bulls under 450kg made 282.2c and averaged 224.2c, while bulls over 450kg reached 291.2c to average 251.7c.
Bullocks topped at 290c for five ox sold on a/c LD Knuth that weighed 552kg to return $1600/hd. Best priced trade heifers presented on a/c Blue Gate Pastoral sold for 248.2c and weighed 430kg to return $1067/hd.
The top pen of cows were sold by L.D Knuth & Co for 222.2c, weighing 537kg to return $1193/hd.
Store quotes:
Store cattle consisted of some small lines of good quality steers, large numbers of mickeys and light heifers.
Steers under 200kg reached 282.2c to average 263.7c, steers 200 - 320kg sold to 301.2c, averaging 245.3c, steers 320 - 400kg topped at 260c and averaged 216.8c and steers over 400kg sold to 250c to average 217.5c. Heifers under 200kg topped at 260c and averaged 205.5c, heifers 200 - 320kg sold to 208.2c, averaging 168.2c, heifers 320 - 370kg made 200.2c to average 176.4c, and heifers over 370kg topped at 228.2c, averaging 222.5c.
A pen of 21 steers a/c Lascelles made 310.2c and weighed 291kg, returning an average of $874/hd. A good pen of 27 heifers on a/c Mt Douglas made 228.2c, weighed 330kg returning and average of $760/hd. There were not enough cows and calves to quote.