A larger than normal yarding with a quality line of PTIC heifers at the Sarina Combined Agents Prime & Store Sale on Friday (September 8) attracted a good number of local and southern buyers.
The yarding of 470 head consisted of 76 cows, 186 steers, 44 PTIC cows, 150 heifers, six cow and calve units and eight bulls/mickies.
The market sold in line with other local selling centres with the advertised PTIC heifers attracting good interest and competition.
The good run of PTIC heifers sold by Louant Trust, Nebo, included Charbrays selling to a top of $1220/head while the Droughtmasters sold for $1160/head and the Brangus heifers made $1180/head.
Steers averaged $425/head selling to a top of $800/head while heifers averaged $420/head selling to a top of $750/head.
Cows sold to $1210/head while bulls/mickies averaged $788 selling to a top of $1220/head.
Elders Mackay livestock agent Eileen Falzon said the market on Friday was on trend with a lot of other centres.
"But, with Sarina being an open auction I feel as though at times we're better than scales at the moment. It has its moments where we are below scales, but this week we sold cattle very well considering (the current market)," she said.
Amber Rees of Louant Trust said she was quite happy with the price achieved for her cattle on Friday in the current market conditions.
"I knew they were a quality line of heifers and I was hoping to get that price," she said.
Ms Rees said she would like to see the market improve, but really had no idea how it would go for the rest of the year.
She said she bought a quality line of 44 heifers about a month ago and sold the PTIC heifers from their Koumala property on Friday to free up a bit of room.
Ms Falzon said buyers were prepared to pay more money for quality breeders which was really to good to see as it meant everyone was trying to improve their herd quality.
"A lot of people came in who were after joining heifers or PTIC heifers or young cows and calves, but the quality's got to be there," she said.
Ms Falzon said the new buyers at Friday's sale were locals as the area has a lot of buyers who work in the mines, two weeks on and one week off, and cannot always make the sales.
"Then suddenly they get a day off and they can attend a sale - and they might have been waiting for the price to come down too," she said.
Other sales on the day included a line of Brangus weaner steers owned by N.M. & J.E. Cook, Eungella, which sold to a top of $560/head while Charbray heifers, owned by A & J Creedon, Marian, returned $750/head.
Lisco Farming, Brightly, sold quality Brangus weaner heifers for $580/head while the Carroll Family Trust, Mia Mia, offered up a quality pen of Brahman steers and made $580/head.
John Kirwan, Mt Ossa, sold a light pen of Brangus weaner steers for $460/head while Mackay Ag Development, Nebo, sold fat Droughtmaster cows for $1150/head.
D. Camilleri, Alligator Creek, sold light Droughtmaster weaner steers to return $510/head.
The next Sarina Prime & Store sale will be held on September 22. It starts at 10am.
Judith Maizey
Judith Maizey has worked as a journalist and communications specialist for more than 30 years throughout Queensland and NSW. Working for Queensland Country Life, she is always up for a chat and loves a good story. Contact 0417 546 616. E: judith.maizey@queenslandcountrylife.com.au
Judith Maizey has worked as a journalist and communications specialist for more than 30 years throughout Queensland and NSW. Working for Queensland Country Life, she is always up for a chat and loves a good story. Contact 0417 546 616. E: judith.maizey@queenslandcountrylife.com.au
