Charters Towers combined agents yarded a total of 2497 cattle on Wednesday consisting of 1065 prime cattle and 1432 store cattle.
The prime cattle consisted of 198 bullocks, 39 heifers, 758 cows and 70 bulls. The store cattle consisted of 535 steers, 790 heifers, 93 mickey bulls and 14x14 cows and calves.
Cattle consisted of some good runs of finished cows and limited finished bullocks on offer. The market again receded with plainer and secondary types feeling it the worst.
The yarding was drawn from Georgetown, Forsayth, Mossman, Richmond, Hughenden, local and coastal areas.
Prime quotes:
Bullocks were quoted 5-10c easier, heifers were 5-10c easier and cows were 10-30c easier on last week's rates.
Steers and bullocks under 500kg sold to 432c and averaged 385c, and those over 500kg topped at 414c to average 390c. Heifers over 440kg topped at 410c, averaging 369c. Cows under 400kg made 286c and averaged 244c, while cows over 400kg reached 326c, averaging 313c. Bulls under 450kg made 434c and averaged 374c, while bulls over 450kg reached 380c to average 313c.
Bullocks topped at 414c for nine bullocks sold on a/c Forster Trading, Euthella, Richmond, that weighed 501kg to return $2075/hd. Trade heifers presented on a/c G and K Forster, Stonington, Pentland, sold for 400.2c and weighed 472kg to return $1887/hd. The top pen of cows was also sold by G and K Forster, Stonington, Pentland, for 326.2c, weighing 568kg to return $1852/hd. Bulls sold on a/c Jarvarnie Cattle Co, Taemas, Charters Towers, topped at 380c and weighed 680kg to return $2584/hd.
Store quotes:
Store cattle were made up of some good lines of steers and heifers. The market followed the same trend as the prime cattle with reductions in prices across all lines. Younger cattle wore the brunt in the reduction with heavy feed on cattle more in demand.
Steers under 200kg reached 546c to average 512c, steers 200 - 320kg sold to 568c, averaging 501c, steers 320 - 400kg topped at 528c and averaged 452c and steers over 400kg sold to 440c to average 359c. Mickeys under 400kg sold to 530c, averaging 425c. Heifers under 200kg topped at 460c and averaged 426c, heifers 200 - 320kg sold to 460c, averaging 419c, and heifers 320 - 370kg made 442c to average 421c.
A pen of 20 steers a/c I Alexander and K Lyon, Charters Towers, made 568.2c and weighed 228kg, returning an average of $1295/hd. A good pen of 34 heifers on a/c Turley Cattle Co, Wandovale, Charters Towers, made 460.2c, weighed 238kg returning $1095/hd. A run of 324 Grey Brahman heifers a/c G and W Collins, Cotonvale Prairie topped at 432.2c to av 426.2c, 314.7kg and $1341/hd. Four cows and calf units sold on a/c G Brown, Western Creek Station, Georgetown, returned $2000/unit.
