Charters Towers combined agents yarded a total of 2525 cattle on Wednesday, consisting of 515 prime cattle and 2010 store cattle. The prime cattle consisted of 165 bullocks, 43 heifers, 224 cows and 83 bulls. The store section consisted of 711 steers, 268 mickeys, 1016 heifers and 15 cows and calves. Agents reported that good generalised rainfall across the area had contributed to a significant lift in the market with an increased yarding of a mixed quality cattle. Most of the prime cattle presented in forward store condition, with some isolated pens of heavy slaughter cattle, supported by meatworks and export buyers. The yarding was drawn from Mareeba, Mt Garnet, Ingham, Croydon, Normanton, Einasleigh, Cloncurry, Mt Isa, Richmond as well as local and coastal areas. Bullocks were quoted 35-40c/kg dearer, heifers were 30-40c dearer, cows were 35-40c dearer, and bulls were 40-50c dearer on last week's rates. Steers and bullocks under 500kg sold to 272c and averaged 250c, and those over 500kg topped at 255c to average 246c. Heifers under 540kg sold to 246c and averaged 217c. Cows under 400kg made 224c and averaged 168c, while cows over 400kg reached 256c, averaging 230c. Bulls under 450kg made 265c and averaged 231c, while bulls over 450kg reached 260c to average 228c. Bullocks topped at 255c for 4 ox sold on a/c Paul Minuzzo, Charters Towers, that weighed 720kg to return $1837/hd. Best priced trade heifers were presented on a/c Bill Matton that sold for 240c and weighed 453kg to return $1087/hd. The top pen of cows was sold on a/c CP and NA Ferguson, Charters Towers, for 256c, weighing 517kg to return $1323/hd. Bulls sold on a/c Gipsy Plains Cattle Co, Cloncurry, sold at 250c and weighed 790kg, to return $1976/hd. Store cattle consisted of isolated runs of Brahman weaners and suitable boat weight steers and heifers selling to increased rates and competition. Steers under 200kg reached 345c to average 284c, steers 200 - 320kg sold to 310c, averaging 266c, steers 320 - 400kg topped at 268c and averaged 255c and steers over 400kg sold to 262c to average 253c. Mickeys under 400kg sold to 334c, averaging 234c. Heifers under 200kg topped at 298c and averaged 218c, heifers 200 - 320kg sold to 254c, averaging 215c, and heifers over 320kg topped at 254c, averaging 233c. A pen of 13 steers a/c Cattle JV, Muttonhole, averaged 336c and weighed 146kg, returning an average of $490/hd. A good pen of 13 steers a/c GC and SM Shephard averaged 262c and weighed an average of 406kg and returned $1064/hd. A run of 88 heifers on a/c Cunningham Cattle Company averaged 260c weighed 144kg returning $374/hd. 15 cows and calves sold from $500 to $825/unit.
