Holidays play havoc on sales
TOOWOOMBA CATTLE
WITH no sale for two weeks and the next sale two weeks away, the supply of stock remains unchanged.
Buyer attendance was generally good with very strong support from all sections of the market and some light weight lines improved in price.
Young cattle were in the largest numbers along with a handful of heavy grown steers and bullocks and a good selection of cows.
The occasional show calf made to 1420c with other steer calves at 450c with most around 398c/kg.
Vealer steers returning to the paddock mostly sold around 404c with some to 436.2c/kg.
A good supply of vealer heifers mainly sold to feeder operators at an average of 352c with a few returning to the paddock at 360c/kg.
Light weight yearling steers sold restockers an average of 388c with sales to 430.2c/kg.
Medium weight yearling steers to feed averaged close to 340c and sold to 379.2c/kg.
Heavy weight yearling steers to feed made to a top of 339.2c to average 332c/kg.
Light weight yearling heifers sold to feeder operators at an average of 333c and made to 343.2c/kg.
The best of the medium weight yearling heifers to feed made to 348.2c to average 318c while heavy weights to feed mostly sold around 302c/kg.
A handful of heavy grown steers to export slaughter averaged 299c and an equally small number of bullocks made to 310.2c/kg.
Medium weight 2 score cows averaged 221c and made to 232.2c/kg.
The better end of the medium weights made to 258.2c to average 246c/kg.
Good heavy cows mostly sold around 245c with the occasional old stud cow reaching 279.2c/kg.
Heavy bulls made to 300.2c/kg.
CQLX GRACEMERE
AFTER a month away with wet weather and public holidays 3950 head were presented at CQLX Gracemere sale last Friday.
Cattle were drawn mostly from the local areas and north to Collinsville, Nebo and Mackay.
Regular buyers were all present and competition was strong for cows and the light weight vealers and calves.
Older lines of steers and heifers were harder to move however, except for the very best quality pens which still sold well.
The best male calves sold to restockers to a top of 421c, the exception being a sale at 516c/kg for a potential stud quality calf.
Vealer steers reached 401c to average 355c/kg for the best quality drafts.
Vealer heifers averaged 324c to 342c/kg also for the best quality.
Yearling steers made a top of 383c with most averaging 320c to 335c/kg.
The better lines of yearling heifers returned averages of 295c to 309c/kg.
Grown steers reached 329c and averaged 302c to 322c/kg with competition from feeder, live-ex and restocker buyers.
Grown heifers with condition mostly went the way of processors in the range from 250c to 260c/kg.
2 score cows returned to pasture at rates to 234c with averages of 211c/kg.
Heavy 4 score cows sold well, averaging 241c and selling to 246c/kg.
The majority of the heavy bulls went to live export at a 260c/kg average.
A plain quality and conditioned catalogue of cows and calves saw the better pens make from $1200 to $1575/unit.
DALBY CATTLE
THERE was a small reduction in supply and buyer attendance was generally good, including the regular feeder buyers and export processors plus a fair line-up of restockers, at last Wednesday’s Dalby sale.
Young light weight cattle returning to the paddock experienced strong competition and all classes of feeder cattle were in demand.
A lift in the standard of the heavy grown steers and bullocks resulted in a rise in average prices.
Cows generally sold close to the prices experienced the previous week.
The occasional steer calf returned to the paddock at 472.2c mixed sex calves averaging 391c/kg.
Light weight yearling steers sold to restockers at an average of 390c with sales to 438.2c/kg.
Medium weight yearling steers to feed mostly sold in the early 340c range and a fair sample to the trade made to 354.2c to average 352c/kg.
Heavy weight yearling steers to feed generally sold between 335c and 345c with sales to 355.2c/kg.
The largest number of light weight yearling heifers returning to the paddock made to 334c with sales to 364.2c/kg.
Medium weight yearling heifers to feed averaged in the early 330c range and made to 339.2c/kg.
Heavy weight yearling heifers made to 324.2c with most around 296c/kg.
Heavy grown steers to export slaughter made to 311.2c to average 300c/kg.
Bullocks generally sold around 302c with sales to 308.2c/kg. Medium weight 2 score cows averaged 222c and the best of the medium weights made to 254.2c to average 245c/kg.
Good heavy cows mostly sold around 252c with some old stud cows to 265.2c/kg.
Heavy bulls made to the occasional 314.2c to average 273c/kg.
Some well bred cows and calves made to $2500/unit.
ROMA PRIME
THERE was a yarding of 562 head at Roma Prime sale last Thursday.
All buyers were present and operating.
Quality was good across the board.
Donations to the Pimela research were made and sold compliments of the Conway family and tourists were enjoying the experience.
Steers, 400-550kg, made up to 286.2c, averaging 260c/kg.
Grown steers over 550kg to slaughter made up to 311.2c averaging 303c/kg.
Heifers in the 350-450kg range made up to 294.2c averaging 289c, while heifers over 450kg made to a top of 280.2c averaging 268c/kg.
Lighter condition slaughter cows made to 182c, averaging 177c/kg.
Cows to slaughter over 500kg made to a top of 269.2c, averaging 248c/kg.
All bulls over 400kg made to a top of 260.2c, to average 246c/kg across the board.
CASINO
THERE was a larger yarding of 1967 head, an increase of 350 head at last Wednesday’s sale.
About 1400 head of young cattle were sold, consisting mainly of milk veal.
Quality was fairly good, with several runs of well-bred steer and heifer vealers that were suitable for restockers.
Trade vealers were down by 10c, with light weights, under 200kg, selling to a top of 335c, while medium weights ranged from 320c to 345c to average 334c/kg.
Restockers were active in the market, acquiring most of the steer vealers and a fair number of the well-bred heifers.
Well-bred light weight restocker steer calves sold to a top of 464c.
Medium weights sold to a top of 412c to average 366c/kg.