Grass loaded northern buyers fired bids at the Charters Towers saleyard on Monday for the Queensland Rural special pre-weighed store sale with Brangus steers returning more than $2000 per head.
A total of 2954 head were yarded with quality lines drawn across northern and local regions from Normanton, Croydon, Greenvale, Ingham and Charters Towers.
The largest vendor of the day was Morr Morr Pastoral Company, Delta Downs, Normanton, which offloaded 1300 head of Brahman steers.
Delta Downs is owned by the Kurtjar Aboriginal people and their 544 head sold to Thomas Mills of Mills Cattle Company, Vuna Station, Hughenden averaging 330kg to return $1573 per head.
Mr Mills runs 15,000 steers on average across his north west property and said solid winter rain was behind the purchase.
Vuna Station received more than 300mm during the recent wet weather events.
"We were lightly stocked and with the big season we were chasing cattle to put in there," he said.
"We've got about 12 months worth of grass ahead of us."
A pen of 18 Brangus steers from Hammar Grazing, Glendillon Pastoral Company, Charters Towers, sold to a top of 830c/kg, averaging 242kg to return $2010 per head.
Peter and Annette Ahern of Roylands Park, Bloomsbury were the successful bidders.
The producers operate a mixed sugarcane and cattle operation in the Mackay region and were in the process of expanding their beef enterprise.
Mr Ahern said the steers were going to suit the feedlot trade.
"They are flat-back cattle and the Angus content of these cattle are just completely right," he said.
"You've got to turn off what your customer is going to pay the premium dollar for."
Queensland Rural Charters Towers livestock agent Harry Clayton said the pre-weighed element benefited the sale results.
"Everything that we had come in today was pre-weighed and pre-treated for ease of clearing going back into the west and down south," he said.
"Overall a very good result on account of that being it provides the buyers with a bit more confidence that they will clear the dip.
"Being pre-weighed, buyers know exactly what they are paying for cattle as they buy, which definitely helped with the good result."
Mr Clayton said recent rainfall added to market security with western producers stepping in.
"On the back of the recent rain we have seen a rise in the market and more security," he said.
"Now that these western fellas are starting to see a season, they will step in and handle some big runs of cattle.
"Today was probably the top price that we might see for a little while on the account of it being good quality, large one vendor lines, and pre-weighed and pre-treated."
Online bidding also took place through Elite Livestock Auctions.
The next Charters Towers combined agents prime and store sale will take place on May 25.
Saleyard Highlights:
Morr Morr Pastoral Company, Delta Downs, Normanton top priced No. 0 red Brahman steers made 486/kg to weigh 327kg and return $1590/hd.
Further No. 9 heifers weighed 383kg to reach 388/kg and return $1487/hd.
25 Morr Morr Pastoral Company No. 0 red Brahman heifers made 450/kg weighing 368kg to return $1658/hd.
20 No. 1 grey Brahman steers on account Cattle JV, Mutton Hole Station, Normanton, topped at 648/kg weighing 268kg to return $1733/hd.
A further 18 weaner steers topped at 698/kg to weigh 226/kg returning $1578/hd. 26 No. 1 Brahman heifers weighed 237kg making 528/kg to return $1249/hd.
LIJA Investments, Wade Station, Greenvale sold 37 No. 2 Brahman heifers to top 598/kg weighing 210kg and return $1252/hd.
Morr Morr Pastoral Company PTIC Brahman cows topped $1850/hd.
A pen of 42 Brahman cross cows and calves on account Beco Pastoral Trust, Bluff Downs, Charters Towers, returned $2250 per unit.