Charters Towers combined agents yarded a total of 3599 cattle, consisting of 1860 prime cattle and 1739 store cattle on Wednesday.
The prime cattle consisted of 167 bullocks, 587 heifers, 723 cows and 383 bulls. Store cattle consisted of 728 steers, 312 males, 697 heifers and two cow and calf units.
Prime cattle comprised of limited numbers of bullocks, with the largest yarding of 581 prime heifers presented this year and more than half of the yarding of prime cattle consisting of cows and bulls.
The yarding was drawn from Croydon, Mareeba, Normanton, Einasleigh, Mt Garnet, Malanda, Mount Isa, Richmond, Hughenden, Prairie, Pentland, Ingham, as well as the Charters Towers district and coastal areas.
Prime quotes: Bullocks were quoted 3-5c/kg dearer, heifers 8-10c dearer, cows 6-10c easier and bulls 12-15c dearer on the past week's rates.
Four trade Bullocks sold by Mary Dixon, Lonesome Dove, Charters Towers, topped at 380.2c that weighed 478kg to return $1815/head. Meatworks bullocks topped 376.2c for 12 bullocks sold by Philipson Holdings, Cornelia, Pentland, that returned $2062.
Best priced trade heifers were presented by Fletchervale Pastoral Co, Fletchervale, Charters Towers, that sold for 362.2c and weighed 429kg to return $1553. The top priced pen of 12 Brahman cows were sold by Condon Grazing P/L and LJ Condon, Conjuboy, Mt Garnet, for 319.2c weighing 511kg to return $1630.
Everingham Pastoral Co, Oak Park, Einasleigh, sold 15 bulls which topped at 368.2c and weighed 720kg to return $2651.
Store quotes: Good lines of store cattle were yarded again this week with a slight easing in the market across all descriptions. Good quality weaner steers sold to a top of 512.2c while weaner heifers of the same quality made over 400c to sell to 433.2c.
A pen of 46 quality grey Brahman weaner steers from Condon Grazing P/L and LJ Condon, Conjuboy, Mt Garnet, topped the store section of the sale at 512.2c and weighed 186kg, returning an average of $952. They also sold 12 quality grey Brahman No.0 heifers, which topped the heifer section at 433.2c, weighed 211.7kg returning an average of $916.
Fleetwood Grazing, Mittagong Station, Croydon, sold a line of 195 Brahman-cross steers, which had an average weight of 169kg to a top of 458c and average of 452c/$763. They also sold 22 mickey bulls weighing 164kg to average 409c/$668.
One cow and calf unit sold by Burge Grazing P/L, Lamonds Lagoon, Mt Garnet returned $1575.
