Lightweight steers top 710c/kg to return $1502 at Mareeba saleyards

The yarding consisted of 48 bulls, 76 cows, 303 steers, 268 heifers, 245 yearling bulls, 273 yearling heifers, 63 yearling steers and one cow and calf.

Cattle were yarded from north and north west regions including Normanton and the Gulf.

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Quality lines were offloaded with 430 head of steers and heifers offered by Inverleigh Pastoral Company, Normanton, 260 head of spayed heifers offered by Gulf Coast Agricultural Company, Gulf of Carpentaria and 180 head of mixed lines offered by Southedge Pastoral Company.

Queensland Rural Mareeba agent Jake Smith said it was a dearer Mareeba market this week.

"A very, very good yarding of cattle overall," he said.

"We had a full gallery of buyers and a few extra buyers this week."

Mr Smith said the steer market remained firm.

"There were some very good runs of lightweight steers on offer, some 200 kilograms," he said.

"Our lightweight steers topped out at 700 cents, but were selling anywhere from 600 to 700 cents. They were high grade Brahman cattle.

"There was one isolated sale of live weight steers that sold out to 715 cents.

"The quality was there, the money was there."

Mr Smith said a run of between 240 to 250 kilogram northern Brahman heifers sold 30 cents dearer than a fortnight ago.

"There were about 260 in the run of all spayed heifers and they were making from 440 to 470 cents," he said.

"Lightweight heifers made anywhere from 450 to 550 cents and we did see some good flat back type heifers make around 580 to 600 cents."

The total yarding averaged 490c/kg to return an average of $1311 per head.

Calves over 80kg topped 710c/kg and averaged 594c/kg to return an average of $1085/hd, yearling steers up to 200kg topped 570c/kg to average 553c/kg and returned an average of $990/hd, while yearling steers between 200kg to 300kg topped at 678c/kg to average 561c/kg and returned an average of $1266/hd.

Yearling heifers up to 200kg topped at 562c/kg to average 546c/kg and returned an average of $904/hd, and yearling heifers between 200kg to 300kg topped 566c/kg to average 535c/kg and return an average of $1186/hd.

Steers up to 200kg topped at 446c/kg to return $881/hd, while steers in the 200kg to 300kg range hit 568c/kg to average 440c/kg, and returned an average of $1112/hd.

Steers between 300kg and 400kg topped at 546c/kg to average 394c/kg and return $1734/hd, while steers between 400kg to 600kg topped at 456c/kg to average 424c/kg and return an average of $2019/hd. Steers between 600kg to 750kg topped 426c/kg to average 423c/kg and returned $2809/hd.

Heifers up to 300kg topped at 536c/kg and averaged 455c/kg to return an average of $1166/hd, heifers between 300kg to 400kg topped 522c/kg to average 480c/kg and returned $1561/hd. Heifers between 400kg to 500kg topped 446c/kg to average 416c/kg and returned an average of $1864/hd, and heifers over 500kg topped 390c/kg to average 375c/kg and returned $1912/hd.

Cows up to 300kg topped 280c/kg to average 252c/kg and return $701/hd, cows between 300kg to 400kg topped 394c/kg to average 293c/kg and returned an average of $1018/hd, while cows between 400kg to 500kg topped 354c/kg to average 343c/kg and returned $1616/hd. Cows between 500kg to 600kg topped 388c/kg to average 355c/kg and returned an average of $1921/hd.

Bulls between 200kg to 300kg topped 430c/kg to average 392c/kg and returned an average of $1156/hd, while bulls between 300kg to 500kg topped 474c/kg to average 294c/kg and returned $1111/hd. Bulls between 500kg to 650kg topped 368c/kg and returned $2044/hd, while bulls over 650kg topped 394c/kg to average 385c/kg and returned an average of $2847/hd.

One cow and calf sold for $1580.

The next Mareeba prime and store sale will be held on May 31 commencing at 8am.