Over 3000 head were offloaded at Charters Towers store sale on August 19 with western restockers in attendance to snap up quality lines on offer.
Store cattle consisted of 1193 steers, 749 mickeys, 1032 heifers and 35 cows and calves.
Agents noted quality runs of steers and heifers that sold to a firm buying panel, which resulted in a stronger market return after previous weeks.
The yarding was drawn from Hughenden, Mount Isa, Croydon and Collinsville with the majority of cattle sourced from local and coastal areas.
A run of 413 Brahman cross heifers on account of Matthews Cattle Company, Blue Range Station, Charters Towers made up to 514c/kg to average 469c/kg weighing in at 304kg and returned $1430 per head.
A further run of 141 lightweight Brahman steers on account of Fleetwood Grazing, Mittagong Station, Croydon, sold for 605c/kg weighing 175kg to return an average of $1059 per head.
Queensland Rural Charters Towers livestock agent Dustyn Fitzgerald said the sale was a success.
"It was a big sale and things are looking up," he said.
"We've seen the market come up quite significantly.
"We did see a bit of a trend coming, but it beat everyone's expectations in Charters Towers."
Mr Fitzgerald said prices had firmed across the board.
"The steers did very well, especially your lightweight steers. There were a few more runs of crossbred steers as well that did very well," he said.
"Lighter steers averaged around 590 cents to top at 640 cents. So, a big increase there that you can see already.
"Your mickeys averaged at 464 cents to top at 632 cents.
"There were some lighter mickeys, so that's where that good money is coming from, not much weight in them, so they're ready to go forward for anyone who bought them.
"Heifers averaged at 418 cents. Your lightweight heifers got up to 446 cents, which is a big hit. Heavier weight heifers averaged 439 cents to top at 514 cents."
Mr Fitzgerald said there was a strong western buying presence on the ground.
"You can see a definite big increase in the market," he said.
"Fellas are getting warmed back up again.
"We had a few western blokes going at it, which was good to see and a lot of faces back on the job."
Store saleyard highlights:
A run of 159 steers on account of Morganbury Pastoral Company, Charters Towers, averaged 431c/kg and weighed 444kg, returning an average of $1913/hd.
A pen of 20 Brangus steers on account of Maiden Springs Pastoral, Hughenden made 626c/kg and weighed 232kg to return $1452/hd.
A pen of 29 Brahman heifers account of Brian and Glenda Kirkwood, Somerview, Charters Towers made 484c/kg and weighed 245kg to return an average of $1185/hd.
22 x 21 cows and calves sold on account of B and C Bode, The Plains, Prairie, returned $2410 per unit.
A pen of six PTIC cows on account of M and R Bailey, Charters Towers returned $1700/hd.
Steers under 200kg reached 640c to average 591c, steers 200 - 320kg sold to 626c, averaging 530c, steers 320 - 400kg topped at 460c and averaged 399c and steers over 400kg sold to 438c to average 408c. Mickeys under 400kg sold to 632c, averaging 464c. Heifers under 200kg topped at 446c and averaged 418c, heifers 200 - 320kg sold to 514c, averaging 439c, heifers 320 - 370kg made 468c to average 416c.
Prime saleyard highlights:
Charters Towers combined agents yarded 1037 prime cattle on August 17, consisting of 272 bullocks, 64 heifers, 485 cows and 215 bulls.
Cattle comprised mixed lines of predominantly northern type cattle with larger runs of cleanskin bulls and lighter gulf cows.
There were isolated runs of finished ox and cows which all sold to a stronger panel of processors. Exporters were in attendance once again, with bulls selling to competitive rates.
The yarding was drawn from Normanton, Burketown, Mount Isa, Richmond, Hughenden, Torrens Creek, Croydon as well as local and coastal areas.
Bullocks were quoted 15 to 20 cents dearer, heifers were 5 cents dearer, cows were 15 cents dearer, and bulls were 15 cents dearer on last week's rates.
Steers and bullocks under 500kg sold to 376c and averaged 340c, and those over 500kg topped at 358c to average 346c. Heifers under 540kg sold to 378c and averaged 312c. Cows under 400kg made 300c and averaged 229c, while cows over 400kg reached 320c, averaging 298c. Bulls under 450kg made 366c and averaged 287c, while bulls over 450kg reached 348c to average 286c.
Bullocks topped at 358c/kg on account of Sefton Grazing that weighed 555kg to return $1986/hd.
Further best priced trade heifers were presented on the same account that sold for 362c/kg, weighing 408kg to return $1476/hd.
The top pen of cows was sold by Woodstock Pastoral, for 320c/kg, weighing 608kg to return $1946/hd.
Bulls sold on account of GD and KR Harriman, topped at 340c/kg and weighed 535kg, to return $1819/hd.
