CQ cattle markets hold steady price

CQLX Gracemere’s annual Special Weaner and Feeder Sale has attracted a significantly larger yarding this year, with buyers wanting to take advantage of extra pasture.

Morgan Harris, TopX Gracemere, pictured with a line of 46 Droughtmaster heifers which sold for 382.2c/kg or $740/head at CQLX's annual Special Weaner and Feeder Sale on June 1. Picture: Contributed

GRACEMERE

THERE was a yarding of 2,656 at CQLX Gracemere, 684 head less than the previous week. Quality was mixed but comprised some very good quality drafts in the top priced runs. The normal buyer panel was present along with a couple of new restockers, however one processor did not operate. The cattle were drawn from across Central Queensland as far north as Bowen.

Steer calves sold to a top of 439c, with mixed sex averages of 420c/kg paid by restockers. Vealer steers made to 437c, with the best bred pens averaging from 415c to 422c/kg. Vealer heifers reached 398c, returning improved averages again of 381c to 385c for the best, while plain condition pens averaged 323c to 347c/kg. A larger offering of yearling steers saw improvements with sales to 403c, and averages from 343c to 382c/kg. Yearling heifer averages eased in places due to a drop in quality offered, with sales to 363c and averages from 334c to 357c/kg for best presented lines.

Grown steers went to feedlots at a top of 373c to record averages from 345c to 363c/kg. Grown heifers to feed topped at 345c, and those to the trade topped at 349c, and restockers paid to 353c/kg, with averages from 298c to 327c/kg. Medium weight, 2 score cows averaged 245c, to processors while heavy weight 4 score cows sold to 294c and averaged 283c/kg. Heavy bulls to live export returned the best average of 305c/kg. A small offering of good quality cows and calves sold from $1,250 to $2,000 per unit.

CQLX hosted a second sale in the past week, on Monday June 1, where 2000 more head were yarded than the previous year at the CQLX Special Weaner and Feeder Sale at Gracemere.

Vendors made the most of the strong market. Southern buyers were present, although most came from within a 500km radius.

Morgan Harris, TopX, said the 5337 head on offer carried very good quality throughout, with the rain producers experienced late in the season evident in the number of well-finished young cattle available.

“Prices exceeded expectations and were strong over the duration of the day with the top lot of heifers actually sold in the last three pens of the sale,” Mr Harris said.

“Surprisingly, buyers didn’t seem too concerned about the weight of pens, with quality and type being a far more important factor in the higher prices.

“Producers have grass in the paddock at the moment that they don’t want it to go to waste, so they are willing to pay for quality.”

Baralaba-based Eastfield Pty Ltd sold a run of 40 Ultrablack heifers to achieve the top price at 408.2c/kg, while the average type under 200kg made 346c/kg.

Heifers in heavy weight ranges also performed well with pens in the 201 to 300kg, and 301 to 400kg category topping at 394.2c/kg and 372.2c/kg respectively.

Lighter steers consistently made 430 to 440c/kg, while a pen of Brangus cross steers was sold to a southern restocker at the top price of 456c/kg. Another highlight sale was from a Calliope-based vendor with a pen of Brangus weaners, weighing 248kg to make 442ckg, or $1097/head.

“Feeder steers and heifers were making well above the market rate, at 10 to 20 cents dearer compared to recent sales and feedlot grid prices,” Mr Harris said.

Steers in the 201 to 300kg weight range made an average of 408c/kg, while this category topped at 448.2c/kg.

A run of 353 Brahman feeder steers from Marlborough weighing 364kg made 372c/kg, while another Marlborough producer, The Vella Family, sold 180 Brahman and Brangus steers averaging 335kg, to make 387c/kg or $1298/head.

Bulls topped at 340c/kg, while the average made 339.4c/kg.

EMERALD

There was a decrease in the yarding at Emerald of 178 head to 1,050 head.

Quality was very mixed however most cattle were in good condition, with the exception of several pens of light conditioned cows. The buying panel was short one processor, however prices showed some improvement in the heifer and cow lines particularly.

Cattle were mostly drawn mostly from local areas. There were insufficient numbers of calves and vealers to quote.

A small offering of yearling steers sold to 374c to feed to average 363c to 373c/kg. Yearling heifers were more plentiful and sold to 362c to feed, returning averages of 334c to 359c/kg with most going to feed yards.

Grown steers reached 367c to feed to average 323c/kg for the best.

Processors averaged 341c/kg for a small offering of 4 score bullocks. Grown heifers selling to feeders topped at 352c to average 351c, while those to the trade averaged from 273c to 322c/kg with some having had a limited grain preparation. 2 score cows averaged 246c and the 4 score cows sold to a top of 286c, averaging 277c/kg for heavy weights.

Bulls topped at 332c and averaged 317c/kg to live export. A small offering of cows and calve made from $1,030 to $1,360/unit.

BLACKALL

There was a total of 5,500 head of cattle at the Blackall monthly weaner and store sale for May. It was a very good quality yarding with larges lines of cattle drawn from local areas as well as the north west of the state. There was very strong competition from southern Queensland feedlots as well as restockers from NSW, and most categories saw improvements in prices in line with the rest of the state.

Light weight restocker steers sold to 462.2c to average 415c, restocker steers, 280-330kg, topped at 428.2c with most around 400c and medium weight feeder steers made to 408.2c to average around 375c/kg.

Heavy feeder steers were in large supply and saw prices lift to 408.2c with most sales around 378c/kg. Light weight restocker heifers saw strong demand selling to 450c to average 411c, restockers heifers sold to 385c to average 350c and heifers to feed made to 378.2c to average 350c/kg. One large line of PTIC grown heifers topped at 310c and cows and calves made from $1,440 to $2,010 to average $1,700/unit.

BIGGENDEN

Charolais Cross Weaner Steers sold to 432c/kg at Biggenden this week with Burnett Livestock & Realty’s meatworks and store sale on Monday, June 1. A yarding of 3070 head were drawn from Theodore, Gympie, and across the Wide Bay Burnett region.

Insufficient numbers of heavy steers were yarded to quote. Two and four tooth crossbred heifers from Bundaberg sold for 346c/$1454. Two and four tooth Brahman heifers from Wallaville sold for 318c/$1392. Four tooth Brangus heifers from Gayndah sold for 334c/$1554.

Top selling cows were red Brahman cows from Bundaberg at 376c/$1988. Grey Brahman cows from Gayndah sold for 288c/$1834. Simbrah cows from Brooweena sold for 286c/$2074.

Milk and two tooth Charbray steers from Gayndah sold for 398c/$1895. Milk tooth Charbray steers from Gaeta sold for 428c/$1327. Milk tooth Brangus steers from Woolooga sold for 386c/$1334. Milk tooth Santa steers from Woowoonga sold for 388c/$1569. Milk tooth Santa steers from Mundubbera sold for 388c/$1751. Milk and two tooth Droughtmaster steers from 386c/$1422.

Charolais weaner steers from Monduran sold for 412c/$1021. Simbrah weaner steers from Brooweena sold for 414c/$1250. Droughtmaster weaner steers from Rosedale sold for 420c/$1079. Charolais cross weaner steers from Moore Park sold for 432c/$1058. Droughtmaster weaner steers from Mundowran sold for 422c/$1055. Santa cross weaner steers from Mount Perry sold for 426c/$1063.

Two and four tooth Charbray heifers from Gayndah sold to 360c/$1592. Two and four tooth Santa heifers from Mundubbera sold for 354c/$1446. Two and four tooth Angus heifers from Mundubbera sold for 361c/$1396. Milk and two tooth Brangus heifers from Gaeta sold for 362c/$1159. Milk tooth Brangus heifers from Proston sold for 350c/$1119.

Milk tooth Charolais heifers from Kilkivan sold for 373c/$1258. Milk tooth Santa heifers from Woowoonga sold for 366c/$1279. Milk tooth Brangus heifers from Riverleigh sold for 377c/$1239. Milk tooth Charbray heifers from Theodore sold for 378c/$1335. Milk tooth Santa heifers from Theodore sold from 371c/$1259.

Charolais cross weaner heifers from Moore Park sold for 370c/$1167. Angus weaner heifers from Kilkivan sold for 364c/$1174. Santa weaner heifers from Mundubbera sold for 358c/$788. Charolais cross weaner heifers from Gin Gin sold for 364c/$887. Simmental cross weaner heifers from Monto sold for 366c/$1025. Simmental cross weaner heifers from Gayndah sold for 364c/$835.

The next meatworks and store sale will be on Monday, June 15 and next weaner sale will be on Thursday, June 25.