A total of 1154 cattle were yarded at the Charters Towers store and prime sale held on Wednesday in damp conditions.
But the soggy conditions didn’t deter those present at the sale from creating a spirited bidding atmosphere which saw the Dalrymple Saleyards single pen record set earlier this year topple, and a pen of steers sell for close to $14,000 from which the proceeds were donated to Legacy Townsville.
The record breaking pen came in the form of 16 Brahman-cross feeder steers sold by the Garde Family, Reigate, Croydon, which made 387c/kg to weigh 178kg and return $690 per head.
Strong bidding support was was shown for the pen of 16 Brahman-cross steers which vendors Ernie and Kylie Camp of Floraville Downs, Burketown generously donated for the sale with proceeds going to Legacy Townsville.
Peter and Darlene Taylor, Zonia Downs, Julia Creek made the winning bid on the pen which averaged 346c to weigh 253kg and return $874/head to gross $13,986 in total.
Legacy is dedicated to caring for the families of deceased and incapacitated war veterans of which there are roughly 700 in Townsville according to Legacy Townsville's Doug Millican who was in attendance at the sale with Legacy Charters Towers' Eileen Vogele.
“This is the second time the Camp’s have made this kind of donation towards Legacy, and their generosity is very much appreciated and needed,” Mr Millican said.
To maximise the contribution to Legacy, Dalrymple Saleyard contractors Ron and Leeanne Philipson, Bradley Hawkins of Hawkins Transport and the sale agents from Queensland Rural all waived their fees.
A total of 677 prime cattle were yarded comprising of 62 bullocks, 27 heifers, 547 cows and four bulls.
Slaughter lines were comprised of good lines of finished cows with only a handful of bullocks and limited butcher cattle yarded.
The yarding was drawn from Chillagoe, Georgetown, Burketown, Croydon, Einasleigh, Hughenden, Richmond, Ingham, Cromaty and the Charters Towers district.
Bullocks were quoted 5-10c dearer than the previous sale, heifers were up 2-4c and cows were 5-8c higher in value.
Heifers to 440kg reached 259c to average 253c and a lone heifer over 440kg made 263c. Cows to 400kg topped at 237c to average 221c, while those over 400kg hit 252c to average 239c.
Eight steers and bullocks over 500kg made 295c, while those over 500kg peaked at 290c to average 267c. Bulls over 450kg made 270c to average 255c.
Five Brahman bullocks sold by Ernie and Kylie Camp, Floraville, Burketown made 295c to weigh 538 and return $1585, and five steers sold by Justin Gould, Westmoreland, Burketown made 290c to weigh 478kg and return $1385.
Trade heifers sold by Pedracini Grazing Trust, Prestwood, Georgetown made 263c to weigh 470kg and return $1237. They also sold 23 decks of cows totaling 375 head which averaged 235c to weigh 402kg and return $944, their top pen of 23 Cows hit 252c to weigh 450kg and return $1135.
Bulls sold by Kenny Cameron, Routh, Georgetown topped at 270c to weigh 603kg and return $1629.
A total of 477 store cattle were yarded consisting of 296 steers, 172 heifers and nine cows and calves.
Feeder lines were in high demand with all store descriptions selling to similar or dearer rates than the last sale.
Steers to 200kg reached 387c to average 376c and 200-320kg steers made 348c to average 320c, nosteers over 320kg yarded for the sale.
Heifers to 200kg made 324c to average 313c, 200-320kg heifers reached 314c to average 304c, heifers 320-370kg peaked at 280c to average 252c and 13 heifers weighing over 370kg made 272c. Bulls to 450kg hit 362c to average 326c.
A pen of 21 heifers sold by the Wehl family, Gorge Creek via Hughenden made 324c, weighed 187kg and returned $605, while seven cows and calves sold by Kenny Cameron, Routh, Georgetown returned $1300/unit.
The next Charters Towers store and prime sale is booked for Wednesday, July 27.
