A mixed yarding at Charters Towers on Wednesday saw the majority of categories fall in price, particularly in the prime market, on the previous sale a fortnight ago.
After a two week standstill due to rainfall, agents yarded 1898 head yarding, consisting mainly of steers.
Premiums were paid for lines of steers 180-280kg with crossbred steers and heifers still in high demand.
All categories fell on average but steers 200kg to 320kg rose by 5c/kg to average 427c/kg and heifers over 320kg averaged 3c/kg higher at 334c/kg.
Smaller lines of framey cows and calves also experienced good competition.
Ray White agent Liam Kirkwood said stock were drawn from Lakeland, Julatten, Mount Garnet, Mount Surprise, Longreach, Mingela and Belyando and locally.
"Cattle sold to a full panel of meatworks buyers at reduced rates of 10-15 cents less than the sale a fortnight ago, which is in line with recent grid movements," Mr Kirkwood said.
"However the store cattle were still very strong.
"There were a lot of graziers there, both locally and from the west, that were really pushing that market along.
"It was good to see a lot of confidence there amongst the graziers who were buying cattle to go back to their stations."
The top priced pen of 12 ox were sold on account of Mt Douglas Pastoral Company, Mt Douglas, Belyando for 328.2c/kg to weigh 602kg and return $1974.67 per head.
The top priced pen of 21 fat heifers sold on account of Mellish Park Grazing, Neenah Park, Longreach for 296.2c/kg to weigh 398kg and return $1177.75 per head.
The top priced pen of 15 cows sold on account of Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Spyglass, Charters Towers for 264.2c/kg weighing 607kg and return $1604.57 per head.
The top priced single bull sold on account of N and R. Weir, Gamma, Charters Towers for 312.2c/kg weighing 720kg and returned $2247.84 per head.
The top priced pen of 16 Brahman steers were sold on account of WH and DE. Alford, Collopy, Mingela for 446.2c/kg to weigh 274kg and return $1222.59 per head.
The top priced pen of crossbreds were 31 Droughtmaster steers sold on account of SPK Pastoral, Spring Creek, Mt Surprise for 472.2c/kg to weigh 217kg and return $1025.13 per head.
The top priced pen of crossbred heifers was achieved by 20 Brangus heifers on account of JR Connolly of Mossman selling for 454.2c/kg to weigh 359kg and return $1628.31 per head.
The top priced pen of 20 Brahman cross types were sold by the same vendor for 342.2c/kg to weigh 358kg and return $1223.37 per head.
While most cows and calves sold between $1700 and $2000 per unit, the top pen of cows and calves were a pen of 6x6 polled Brahman cows and calves on account of BW & MI Landsberg, Homeview, Charters Towers which sold for $2510 per unit.
