‘Unbelievable’: Interstate buyers strong online at CQLX sale
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SOUTHERN buyers were virtually active this week at the Central Queensland Livestock Exchange Prime Cattle Sale on Wednesday.
A pen of 200 heifers was knocked down for 412c/kg to a New South Wales buyer.
The coastal offering, from JB Shannon, Marlborough, weighed in at 215kg, to return $889/head.
Morgan Harris, TopX, Gracemere, described the overall sale as “unbelievable”.
“Every week we are getting our regular run of buyers, but there are new faces turning up trying to source more cattle,” Mr Harris said.
“The online activity was strong this sale, bidders were competing quite heavily and there was demand from the very first pen, to the very last lot. It’s definitely the perfect time to be offloading stock.”
More than 2,580 head, drawn from Bowen, Nebo, Capella, Theodore, Miriam Vale and the local area, were processed at the sale.
Mr Harris said the quality was mixed, with some very good lines of lighter cattle coming through.
“Weaner steers are consistently getting 430 cents per kilogram to 440 cents per kilogram – it doesn’t matter if they are Brahman, or crossbred, they are all making that rate,” Mr Harris said.
Lighter steers peaked at 458.2c/kg, for weaner Charbray steers from John Mackenzie, Alton Downs, that had an average weight of 253kg, to return $1160/head.
The cow price reached 297.2c/kg for the 400 to 451kg category.
Other highlights included 491kg Grey Brahman steers from H Shaw, Biloela, that made 386c/kg, to return $1809/head.
P Clair, Goovigen, received $1229/head for their pen of Droughtmaster cross steers that sold for 454c/kg.
No. 8 Brahman heifers, from R and J Peff, Wowan, sold for 334c/kg, and weighed 412kg and to make $1377/head.
Mr Harris was confident solid prices would continue at next week’s sale.
“There are so many areas, right across the east coast of Australia, that have had years of drought and their herds were knocked around to the point of destocking,” he said.
“Now the seasons have broken, they need cattle in their paddocks and for their oats crops, so demand is surpassing supply.”
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