Prices remained firm in Charters Towers as over 2000 head were offloaded at the combined agents' prime and store sale on July 20.
The yarding consisted of 1575 store cattle and 1047 prime cattle.
The yarding was drawn from Richmond, Cloncurry, Ayr, Einasleigh, Georgetown and local areas.
Local vendors Felspar Grazing Company, Felspar Station, Charters Towers offloaded 272 no. 8 and no. 9 bullocks and heavy feeders to average 332c/kg, weighing 488kg to return $1618/hd.
Again Charters Towers vendors Fanning Downs Trust, Fanning Downs Station offloaded 125 no. 0 Brahman feeders to average 394c/kg weighing 449kg to return $1768/hd.
Further west, MI McClymont, Bundoran Station, Richmond offloaded 15 Angus cross cows to top 314c/kg weighing 566kg to return $1778/hd.
Ray White Geaney Kirkwood livestock agent Liam Kirkwood said the market remained firm in line with other sale centres across the state.
"All of the better cattle were fully firm, but those more secondary lines were on average 20 cents cheaper," he said.
"The prices were on par with previous weeks, especially the slaughter cattle, which were very much in line with what is happening in other parts of the state.
"Especially in comparison to Roma, who had a very big yarding on Tuesday, our prices were very comparative with theirs."
Mr Kirkwood said vendors were still fetching solid prices.
"The good quality cattle are still making plenty of money because they are going into those southern and western areas," he said.
"Any of those secondary Brahman type cattle that typically stay locally, just with a few frosts, cold weather and a bit of negativity around foot and mouth disease, it has been a little bit harder to shift them."
As the threat of foot and mouth disease in Indonesia continues to grow, Mr Kirkwood said he believed it wasn't the core reason for the recent price ease experienced across the market.
"I believe it is definitely something producers are taking into account when they are making decisions," he said.
"People may think the market is coming back a bit because of that and it is something that everyone is concerned about and aware of, don't get me wrong, but the fact of the matter is there are so many slaughter cattle on the market due to the good season that we've just experienced.
"And unfortunately due to a labour shortage, the meatworks just can't handle these big numbers of slaughter cattle that have come at them unexpectedly, which has created a backlog, and then of course that has flowed through into store cattle and the likes.
"Whilst some look at it as an opportunity to get in and buy at a lesser rate on a cheaper market, other people are probably a little bit more cautious to buy back in at the moment, just until they get fat cattle sold because it's a big unknown this FMD."
The next Charters Towers prime and store sale is scheduled for July 27.
Prime saleyard highlights:
Bullocks topped at 378.2c/kg on account of AJ and MA Spurdle to weigh 508kg and return $1920/hd.
Best priced trade heifers were presented by Fanning Downs Trust, Charters Towers that sold for 384.2c/kg, weighing 425kg to return $1632/hd.
Bulls sold on account CJ and AK Bolton topped at 330c/kg to weigh 690kg and return $2277/hd.
Store saleyard highlights:
A pen of 19 heifers on account AR and VA Titley made 422.2c/kg weighing 245kg to return $1033/hd.
18 cows and calves sold on account W and K Bethel returned $2000 per unit.
Zoe Thomas
Northern based journalist at North Queensland Register and Queensland Country Life.
Northern based journalist at North Queensland Register and Queensland Country Life.
