Charters Towers combined agents yarded a total of 2828 cattle on Wednesday consisting of 1960 prime cattle and 868 store cattle.
The prime cattle consisted of 397 bullocks, 443 heifers, 855 cows and 265 bulls. The store cattle consisted of 256 steers, 494 heifers, 116 mickeys and two cows and calves.
Prime cattle consisted of better quality and condition types compared to last week with the prices responding in kind. Competition was firm across all types.
The yarding was drawn from Burketown, Forsayth, Georgetown, Mt Garnet, Mt Surprise, Clermont, Julia Creek, Richmond, Hughenden, Greenvale, Ayr, Home Hill, Ingham as well as local and coastal areas.
Prime quotes:
Bullocks were quoted 2-5c dearer, heifers were 10-20c dearer, cows were unchanged, and bulls were unchanged on last sale's rates.
Steers and bullocks under 500kg sold to 462c and averaged 381c, and those over 500kg topped at 418c to average 382c. Heifers under 540kg sold to 458c and averaged 387c. Cows under 400kg made 316c and averaged 277c, while cows over 400kg reached 346c, averaging 326c. Bulls under 450kg made 330c and averaged 279c, while bulls over 450kg reached 330c to average 304c.
Bullocks topped at 418.2c for 20 No.9 Charbray cross bullocks, sold on a/c Mt Douglas Past Co, Mt Douglas, Clermont that weighed 522.5kg to return $2185/hd. Best priced trade heifers were presented on a/c Mt Douglas Past Co, Mt Douglas, Clermont, were 18 No.0 crossbred Heifers sold for 458.2c and weighed 370kg to return $1690/hd. 19 trade No.0 Charbray cross steers a/c Mt Douglas Past Co, Mt Douglas, Clermont, sold for 462.2c to weigh 411kg to return $1902/hd.
The top pen of cows was sold by Matthews Cattle Pty Ltd, Valpre, Greenvale, for 346.2c, weighing 650kg to return $2250/hd. Bulls sold on a/c Fry Bloodline Trust, Forest Home, Georgetown, topped at 330c, weighed 414kg to return $1366/hd.
Store quotes:
Store cattle were made up of a few good lines of steers and heifers with the market remaining firm across all types presented.
Steers under 200kg reached 602c to average 554c, steers 200 - 320kg sold to 570c, averaging 496c, steers 320 - 400kg topped at 466c and averaged 418c and steers over 400kg sold to 440c to average 431c. Mickeys under 400kg sold to 560c, averaging 432c. Heifers under 200kg topped at 544c and averaged 442c, heifers 200 - 320kg sold to 485c, averaging 410c, and heifers 320 - 370kg made 428c to average 396c.
A pen of steers a/c KA and ME Vaughan, Veenee, Charters Towers, made 602.2c and weighed 182kg returning and average of $1096/hd. A good pen of 12 heifers a/c BA and RA Howe, Zig Zag, Paluma, made 544.2c, weighed 166kg and returned an average of $903/hd. Cows and calves were insufficient to quote.