The Dalrymple Saleyard history books will have to be readjusted again after a pen of 45 Brahman-cross weaner steers sold by Lawn Hill & Riversleigh Pastoral Holding Co P/L, Lawn Hill, Mount Isa broke the saleyard record when they made 440c/kg at the Charters Towers store and prime sale on Wednesday.
A total of 2558 cattle were yarded for the sale consisting of 1094 prime cattle and 1464 store cattle.
The prime yarding consisted of 253 bullocks, 90 heifers, 395 cows and 356 bulls and mickeys. The line-up included limited finished bullocks and good lines of finished cows.
All meatworks cattle were slightly dearer in all descriptions with light plainer type cows selling to 290c. The yarding was drawn from Aramac, Richmond, Normanton, Hughenden, Burketown, Mt Isa, Einasleigh, Georgetown, Doomagee, Ravenswood, Home Hill, Mt Coolon, Clare, Japoonvale, Ingham and local areas.
Bullocks were quoted 2-4c dearer, Heifers and heavy cows sold to similar rates and lighter cows were 20-40c dearer in comparison to the last sale.
Heifers to 440kg topped at 332c to average 304c, while those over 440kg made 344c to average 315c.
Cows to 400kg reached 290c to average 219c, while those over 400kg made 259c to average 249c.
Steers and bullocks to 500kg made 333c to average 282c, while those over 500kg peaked at 335c to average 296c.
Bulls to 450kg topped at 390c to average 282c, while those over 450kg made 296c to average 252c.
A pen of 17 Brahman-cross bullocks sold by Ernie and Kylie Camp, Floraville, Burketown topped at 301c to weigh 593kg and return $1787/head, and Dunraven Pastoral, Hughenden, sold no-4 feeder steers for 333c to weigh 483kg and return $1610.
No-4 heifers sold by GT & DM Collins, Cotonvale, Prairie made 334c to weigh 466kg and return $1603, and the top pen of Cows were sold by Lawn Hill & Riversleigh Pastoral Holding Co P/L, “Lawn Hill”, Mount Isa, for 290c to weigh 295kg and return $857.
A pen of heavy cows sold by Brian Hughes, Lanes Creek, Georgetown made 259c to weigh 537kg and return $1392, and bulls sold by CNK Farming, Acaciavale, Charters Towers, topped at 299c and weighed 540kg to return $1346.
Store cattle yarded included 846 steers, 541 heifers and 77 cows and calves.
Nearly twice the number of store cattle were yarded compared to prime cattle and met with strong competition from Longreach, Winton, Boulia and Richmond buyers as well as local and southern buyers.
Steers to 200kg made 442c to average 405c, 200-320kg steers reached 412c to average 354c, 320-400kg steers hit 345c to average 321c and those over 400kg made 339c to average 332c.
Heifers to 200kg made 352c to average 317c, 200-320kg heifers reached 380c to average 315c, 320-370kg heifers peaked at 340c to average 326c, and those over 370kg made 329c to average 306c.
A pen of 27 good quality no-5 steers sold by Lawn Hill & Riversleigh Pastoral Holding Co P/L, made 412c to weigh 218kg and return $900, and a good pen of 35 no-6 Red Brahman heifers sold by Brian and Glenda Kirkwood, Somerview, Mingela made 380c to weigh 222kg and return $844.
A pen of 18 cows and calves sold by JR & D Hobbs, Mapleton, via Ingham returned $1800/unit.