Charters Towers combined agents yarded 2879 cattle on Wednesday, consisting of 1633 prime cattle and 1246 store cattle.
The prime cattle consisted of 415 bullocks, 320 heifers, 705 cows and 193 bulls. The store section consisted of 315 steers, 515 mickeys, 416 heifers and 17 x 17 cows and calves.
Cattle comprised increased numbers of well finished slaughter cattle met by strong processor competition.
The yarding was drawn from Doomagee, Burketown, Ingham, Clermont, Georgetown, Einasleigh, Mt Coolon, as well as local and coastal areas.
Prime quotes:
Bullocks were quoted 20c dearer, heifers were 15c dearer, cows were 20c dearer, and bulls were 5c dearer on last week's rates.
Steers and bullocks under 500kg sold to 410c and averaged 374c, and those over 500kg topped at 410c to average 406c. Heifers under 540kg sold to 390c and averaged 369c. Cows under 400kg made 352c and averaged 307c, while cows over 400kg reached 366c, averaging 355c. Bulls 450-600kg made 368c and averaged 338c, while bulls over 600kg reached 370c to average 342c.
Bullocks topped at 410c for a run of 72 ox sold on a/c Callan Farming and Grazing averaging 407.7c that weighed an average of 619.9kg to return an average of $2526.91/hd. Best priced trade heifers were presented on a/c MG and HJ Bredden that sold for 378.2c , weighing 392kg to return $1482/hd.
Cows topped at 366.2c sold by HH Pastoral Pty Ltd, Mt Cooper, weighing 640kg to return $2343/hd. Bulls sold on a/c B and S Ryan topped at 360c and weighed 850kg, to return $3060/hd.
Store quotes:
Store cattle were mixed with only small lines of local cattle offered along with a couple of large male consignments from the northwest.
Steers under 200kg reached 550c to average 495c, steers 200 - 320kg sold to 538c, averaging 446c, steers 320 - 400kg topped at 414c and averaged 401c and steers over 400kg sold to 398c to average 370c. Mickeys under 400kg sold to 532c, averaging 420c. Heifers under 200kg topped at 490c and averaged 439c, heifers 200 - 320kg sold to 460c, averaging 376c, and heifers 320 - 370kg made 386c to average 349c.
A pen of 10 steers a/c A and L Angel made 538.2c and weighed 216kg, returning an average of $1162.51/hd. A good pen of 14 heifers on a/c BA and RA Howe made 474.2c, weighed 166kg returning $787.17/hd Six cows and calves sold on a/c JC Bethel Pty Ltd returned $2125/unit.
