Charters Towers market continues to ease

Prime cattle consisted of 137 bullocks, 240 heifers, 945 cows and 317 bulls. Store cattle consisted of 967 steers, 560 heifers and seven cows and calves.

Cattle comprised of larger runs of finished cows, with limited bullocks, heifers and bulls on offer.

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The yarding was drawn from both local and coastal areas, and from western and northern regions including Hughenden, Julia Creek and Georgetown.

Local vendor Brian Moody of Square Post Station, Mingela Range, sold a pen of eight no. 9 Brahman cross cows for 330c/kg weighing 380kg to return $1254/hd.

Elders Charters Towers agent Olly Peel said the market prices varied coming into the Easter period.

"It's all varying coming into Easter, everything sort of comes back as everybody is having that bit of a break and there's a few shorter weeks coming up," he said.

"It makes it a bit harder for the meatworks and the feedlots to keep up and they're still behind because of those southern floods."

The lack of rainfall continues to be an undercurrent on the ground at the Dalrymple Saleyards.

"There's no rain at the moment," Mr Peel said.

"If some rain comes in it'll make the market rise a bit."

The usual vendors continue to remain consistent each week as buyers continue to bite from the southern markets.

"I haven't noticed too many that are coming from a long distance at the moment," Mr Peel said.

"Vendors are sending a consistent mob each week to keep that feed back and keep up with the changing weather patterns."

Mr Peel remained optimistic about the market prices.

"This Easter period it may drop a bit and slowly rise back up, not a whole lot, but enough to keep both buyers and sellers happy," he said.

"Throughout winter it will hopefully stay at that level, and once the weather patterns start changing and we start coming into a bit of rain at the end of the year, the prices will come back up again."

Medium steers and bullocks up to 500kg topped at 414c/kg and averaged 364c/kg, down 20c from last week, steers and bullocks over 500kg hit 386c/kg to average 375c/kg, which was 15c cheaper.

Heifers over 440kg were down 14c on last week, averaging 355c/kg and topping at 410c/kg, while cows up to 400kg were up by 8c, averaging 252c/kg and topping 322c/kg.

Cows over 200kg reached a top of 330c/kg to average 296c/kg, down 17c, while bulls up to 450kg reached 516c/kg and averaged 467c/kg, 93c dearer.

Bulls over 450kg were up 16c from a week ago, averaging 329c/kg to top 382c/kg.

Bullocks topped at 384.2c/kg on account of Philipson Holdings to weigh 745kg and return $2862/hd.

Best priced trade heifers were presented by G and K Forster that sold for 394.2c/kg, weighing 480kg to return $1892/hd. Bulls also topped at 314.2c/kg weighing 737kg, to return $2315/hd.

Felspar Grazing sold a pen of cows for 307.2c/kg, weighing 584kg to return $1793/hd.

Steers up to 200kg topped at 528c/kg and averaged 466c/kg, down 46c from a week ago, while steers in the 200-320kg range hit 544c/kg to average 463c/kg, which was 38c cheaper.

Steers between 320kg and 400kg were on par with a week ago, averaging 452c/kg and topping at 510c/kg, while steers over 400kg were up by 72c, averaging 431c/kg and topping 450c/kg.

Light weight heifers up to 200kg reached a top of 470c/kg to average 437c/kg, up 11c, while those in the 200kg to 320kg range reached 460c/kg and averaged 425c/kg, 6c dearer.

Medium weight heifers in the 320 to 370kg range were down 15c from a week ago, averaging 406c/kg to top 422c/kg.

A pen of 14 Turley Cattle Company steers made 510.2c/kg and weighed 352kg to return $1796/hd.

A pen of 24 Turley Cattle Company heifers made 460.2c/kg weighing 317kg returning $1459/hd.

Two cows and calves sold on account of Cunningham Cattle Company to return $2650 per unit.

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