Charters Towers combined agents yarded a total of 1024 cattle today, consisting of 286 prime cattle and 738 store cattle.
The prime cattle consisted of 57 bullocks, 43 heifers, 93 cows and 93 bulls. The store section consisted of 563 steers, 18 mickeys, 149 heifers and eight cows and calves.
Agents reported it was a mixed yarding, with isolated pens of heavy export slaughter cattle.
All the usual buyers were in attendance, as well as one exporter operating and reduced restocker activity.
The yarding was drawn from Weipa, Ingham, and Richmond, as well as local and coastal areas.
Prime quotes:
Bullocks were quoted 5 cents a kilogram dearer, heifers were unchanged, cows were 5-10c/kg dearer, and bulls were unchanged on the last sale's rates.
Steers and bullocks under 500kg sold to 276c and averaged 268c, and those over 500kg topped at 266c to average 261c. Heifers under 540kg sold to 250c and averaged 218c. Cows under 400kg made 230c and averaged 149c, while cows over 400kg reached 230c, averaging 220c. Bulls under 450kg made 276c and averaged 241c, while bulls over 450kg reached 270c to average 243c.
Bullocks topped at 276c/kg sold on a/c WF Prichard, Charters Towers that weighed 484kg to return $1336.
A pen of trade heifers were presented on a/c Smith Pastoral, Torrens Creek, that sold for 238c/kg and weighed 413kg to return $938.
The top pen of cCows was sold on a/c TN and MA Carr, Charters Towers, for 230c/kg, weighing 620kg to return $1427.
Bulls sold on a/c Pedracini Grazing, Scartwater, topped at 270c/kg and weighed 476kg, to return $1285.
Store quotes:
Store cattle consisted of a mixed yarding with better quality isolated pens drawing the attention of buyers.
Steers under 200kg reached 180c to average 130c, steers 200 - 320kg sold to 325c, averaging 212c, and steers 320 - 400kg topped at 282c and averaged 232c. Mickeys under 400kg sold to 250c, averaging 187c. Heifers under 200kg topped at 116c and averaged 116c, heifers 200 - 320kg sold to 246c, averaging 204c, and heifers 320 - 370kg made 230c to average 159c.
A pen of seven steers a/c Kate Hodgetts, Charters Towers, made 325c/kg and weighed 263kg, returning an average of $854.81.
A good pen of 12 heifers on a/c D and A Forster, Pentland, made 246c/kg, weighed 214kg, returning $526.
Eight cows and calves ranged from $500 - $800.
