Mareeba combined agents penned a total of 714 head at last week's prime and special store cattle sale, a decrease of 206 on the previous week, with another new saleyard record for yearling heifers.
One local processor, one export processor were present along with three traders, three lotfeeders, a small gallery of local spectators and a few local buyers.
Cattle sold to strong competition with slaughter/heavy steers maintaining rates of the previous week, while seeing a noticeable drop in the heavy cow market.
Store cows sold to a lot stronger trend which included heifers suitable to feed on. Competition on mickey bulls was strong. Good quality store steers sold at similar rates to the previous week, while secondary types were slightly back - the opposite of what happened with the heifers. Good and secondary quality sold to extremely good prices.
The yarding consisted of 178 steers averaging 387.7c selling to a top of 490c, 78 bulls averaging 343.9c selling to a top of 471.2c, 117 cows averaging 243.3c selling to a top of 265.2c, 90 heifers averaging 318.6c selling to a top of 434.2c, 197 yearling heifers averaging 439.2c selling to a top of 459.2c (new saleyards record) and 54 yearling steers averaging 438.6c selling to a top of 512.2c.