Charters Towers combined agents yarded a total of 1446 cattle, consisting of 847 prime cattle and 570 store cattle.
The prime cattle consisted of 82 bullocks, 59 heifers, 585 cows and 121 bulls. Store cattle consisted of 274 steers and 296 heifers.
Cattle comprised strong lines of fat cows and bullocks, with a small yarding of fat heifers and bulls. Meatworks cattle sold to a competitive buying panel due to scattered rain throughout southern and central Queensland.
The yarding was drawn from the Mt Garnet, Toonpan, Hughenden and the Belyando, local and coastal areas.
Prime quotes:
Bullocks were quoted 20c dearer, heifers were 20c dearer, cows were 10c dearer, and bulls were 10c easier on last week's rates.
Steers and bullocks under 500kg sold to 386c and averaged 338c, and those over 500kg topped at 344c to average 338c. Heifers under 440kg sold to 376c and averaged 351c. Cows under 400kg made 270c and averaged 241c, while cows over 400kg reached 279c, averaging 265c. Bulls under 450kg made 508c and averaged 369c, while bulls over 450kg reached 328c to average 299c.
Bullocks topped at 336.2c on a/c LT and LP Curley, that weighed 576kg to return $1937/hd. Best priced trade heifers were presented on a/c GA and WL Collins that sold for 348.2c, weighing 440kg to return $1532/hd. The top pen of cows were sold by DM and KF Luke for 280.2c, weighing 588kg to return $1646/hd. Bulls sold on a/c Loudon Bros Pty Ltd topped at 328.2c and weighed 713kg, to return $2341/hd.
Store quotes:
Store cattle presented in good condition, with the steers selling to rates which were unchanged from last week's sale, whereas the heifers sold to a dearer trend with a few lines of high quality females on offer.
Steers under 200kg reached 602c to average 497c, steers 200 - 320kg sold to 478c, averaging 398c, steers 320 - 400kg topped at 452c and averaged 388c and steers over 400kg sold to 402c to average 363c. Heifers under 200kg topped at 470c and averaged 449c, heifers 200 - 320kg sold to 468c, averaging 347c, and heifers 320 - 370kg made 388c to average 381c.
A pen of 13 steers a/c Fanning Downs Pty made 393.2c and weighed 395kg, returning an average of $1555/hd. A good pen of six heifers a/c Hillgrove Pastoral made 394.2c, weighed 308kg, returning $1215/hd. A line of 81 high grade Brahman heifers a/c GA and WL Collins averaged 381.2c/kg and weighed 328kg to return $1253/hd.
