Northern producers capitalise on Mareeba's top market conditions

Light rainfall set the scene for strong buying demand for younger stock, as northern producers took advantage of the buoyant Mareeba market.

Recent rainfall across the far north did have an impact on the yarding, with Nutrien agents selling around 1023 head on the day.

Overall, the yard averaged 475.42 c/kg, or $1,118.08 per head.

Mareeba's Nutrien Livestock agent Rowan Hoffman said recent rain did have an impact on the overall yarding, but didn't stop some properties offloading good quality cattle.

"The quality of the offering presented was very good, most of the light feeders were drawn from the Cape and the Gulf sold to dearer prices than on Tuesday's sale," Mr Hoffman said.

"The rain blocked a few cattle up the north and gulf from coming here and we ended up with about just over 1000 yarded overall.

"This is the first special store sale that we've held here at Mareeba this year and we had a good run of quality cattle from across the north.

"We had a good run of cattle from Inverleigh Pastoral Company in Normanton, Hurricane Station and Bulimba ILC as well."

Among the northern draft was a line of 500 Brahman cross Charbray steers and heifers, offloaded by Inverleigh Pastoral Company, Normanton, which peaked at 602.2c/kg, weighed 241.1kg and returned $1389/head.

Mr Hoffman said once they get a quality yarding of cattle from a large supplier, it really makes the special store sale run along really well.

"When we receive a big offering of cattle like from Inverleigh, which offloaded 500 head, we tend to sought more cattle to offer a special sale like this one," he said.

"We had a great gallery of southern buyers and a lot of local support, looking for the better runs of cattle and they certainly enjoyed it.

"The mickey market was a tad off the actual steers that have been branded and processed, but they sold to top at six dollars.

"The lighter steers were right up their alley, about 580c/kg, and the heifer job was really good too, we cracked around 500c/kg for those heifers in around that 230kg mark."

Looking ahead, Mr Hoffman said forecast for wet conditions could impact future overall yarding numbers, however, it would further boost buyer confidence at upcoming sales.

"There's a lot rain out west that going to block of a few cattle, especially heavy cattle and I think the market will jump a little bit," he said.

"Having that rain out west in the Gulf and Cape, they really needed it and probably came at the right time.

"I think the market will probably just kick along and hold a little bit better because of that rain."

Fifteen bulls averaged 346.1c/kg, selling to a top of 418.2c/kg.

A total of 328 steers sold to average 407.8c/kg, selling to a top of 540/kg, while 163 yearling steers averaged 546.4c/kg, selling to a top of 602.2c/kg.

The heifer market saw an increase, with 29 heifers sold to average 391.3c/kg, selling to a top of 442.2c/kg.

Yearling bulls sold to average 552.3c/kg, and selling to a top of 576.2c/kg, while 261 yearling heifers averaged 466.9c/kg, selling to a top of 514.2c/kg.

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