Numbers down as bulls grow
HEADING into the end of the cattle season, quality and head of cattle continue to drop at Mareeba Sales.
However, at this week’s Combined Agents Cattle Sale there was an increase of bulls available.
Ravenshoe cattle buyer Robert Austin said there weren’t many slaughter cattle in the yard yesterday but there were a few more bulls.
“Quality of the yard is good but they are showing the drier weather,” he said.
“A lot of cattle are in store condition because it is that time of the year.”
Head of cattle were down on last week’s sale with 506 cattle being yarded.
There weren’t a lot of buyers in attendance. One export processor attended, as well as local processors this week.
The sales were dominated by cows and bulls suitable for the slaughter market.
Butchers cattle were limited this week although prices lifted 5¢ for steers and 20¢ for heifers.
Prices for bullocks suitable for slaughter were in short supply and lost 10¢ while heavy cows gained 10¢ on last week’s quotes.
Bulls suitable for slaughter lost 60¢ with weak competition.
Young store bulls also lost 10¢ and local trade cows were up 7¢.
Store steers were unchanged on last week while store heifers lost 5¢. Cows and calves made $1040.