Charters Towers agents yarded a total of 1158 prime cattle on Wednesday consisting of 289 bullocks, 182 heifers, 599 cows and 88 bulls.
Cattle comprised smaller lines of mostly feeder ox and well finished medium weight cows.
The yarding was drawn from Tennant Creek, Mt Isa, Burketown, Cloncurry, Julia Creek, Hughenden, Winton, Belyando as well as local and coastal areas.
Bullocks were quoted 5c easier, heifers were 5c easier, cows were unchanged, and bulls were 20c dearer on last week's rates.
Steers and bullocks under 500kg sold to 380c and averaged 300c, and those over 500kg topped at 336c to average 292c. Heifers under 540kg sold to 346c and averaged 298c. Cows under 400kg made 254c and averaged 200c, while cows over 400kg reached 298c, averaging 270c. Bulls under 450kg made 350c and averaged 281c, while bulls over 600kg reached 328c to average 296c.
Bullocks topped at 298c for nine ox sold on a/c Everingham Pastoral, Lana Downs, Winton, that weighed 588kg to return $1752/hd. Best priced trade heifers were presented on a/c Mt Douglas Pastoral Co, Mt Douglas, Belyando, that sold for 346c, and weighed 321kg to return $1110/hd.
The top pen of cows was sold by AJ Smith, Strathroy, Hughenden, for 298c, weighing 680kg to return $2027/hd. Bulls sold on a/c Everingham Pastoral, Lana Downs, Winton, topped at 328c and weighed 786kg, to return $2578/hd.
