Charters Towers combined agents yarded a total of 2863 cattle on Wednesday, consisting of 1571 prime cattle and 1292 store cattle.
The prime cattle consisted of 392 bullocks, 116 heifers, 950 cows and 113 bulls. Store cattle consisted of 198 steers, 420 mickeys, 672 heifers and two cows and calves.
Cattle comprised some very good lines of bullocks and cows that sold to a spirited buyers' gallery including an additional southern meat works.
The yarding was drawn from Mt. Isa, Burketown, Forsayth, Tully, Townsville, Mt. Surprise, Einasleigh, Collinsville, Richmond, Hughenden, Mareeba, as well as local and coastal areas. Bullocks were quoted 2-3c easier, heifers were 3-5c easier, cows were unchanged and bulls 2-3c easier on last week's rates.
Prime quotes:
Steers and bullocks under 500kg sold to 376c and averaged 337c, and those over 500kg topped at 370c to average 347c. Heifers under 540kg sold to 358c and averaged 314c. Cows under 400kg made 274c and averaged 249c, while cows over 400kg reached 296c, averaging 280c. Bulls over 450kg reached 365c to average 321c.
Bullocks topped at 368.2c for 20 well finished bullocks sold on a/c Geaney's Pty Ltd, that weighed 574kg to return $2111/hd. Best priced trade heifers were presented on a/c Pedracini Grazing that sold for 340c, weighing 342kg to return $1162/hd. A pen of 13 PTIC cows a/c GG and KE Bird made 296.2c at 543kg to return $1608/hd. The top pen of cows was sold a/c Colinta Holdings for 296.2c, weighing 560kg to return $1657/hd. Bulls sold on a/c Colinta Holdings topped at 342.2c and weighed 771kg, to return $2637/hd.
Store quotes:
Store cattle consisted of predominantly large lines of northern cattle that sold to solid rates.
Steers under 200kg reached 485c to average 474c, steers 200 - 320kg sold to 440c, averaging 433c, steers 320 - 400kg topped at 422c and averaged 384c and steers over 400kg sold to 386c to average 359c. Mickeys under 400kg sold to 492c, averaging 412c. Heifers under 200kg topped at 416c and averaged 396c, heifers 200 - 320kg sold to 434c, averaging 379c, and heifers 320 - 370kg made 418c to average 385c.
A pen of 21 steers a/c Brown & Sons made 440c and weighed 246kg, returning an average of $1082/hd. A good pen of 18 heifers a/c Brown & Sons made 434.2c, weighed 258kg and returned $1120/hd. Cows and calves were insufficient to quote.