About 8500 head were yarded yesterday and cattle prices remained firm across all categories of steers and heifers.

Quality of the cattle was mixed with better lines maintaining rates similar to last week's store sale, according to Grant Daniel and Long Roma livestock manager Brian Fisher.

The trend is similar across eastern Australia with figures from the National Livestock Reporting Service (NLRS) showing national cattle yardings increased 18pc last week to produce the largest yarding since April.

"A major drawcard for producers to offload has been the very good prices of recent weeks," the NLRS said.

"The lack of rain across a number of areas has also been a contributing factor behind yardings increasing."

Elders' Mick Connell said most of the cattle flowing into Roma saleyards were coming from drought stricken areas in north-west Queensland.

"A lot of northern cattle are on agistment in the south-west region and many producers are opting to sell them through the Roma saleyards," Mr Connell said.

"I feel the numbers of cattle in the Maranoa region have been underestimated and until we get a seasonal break in the northern region cattle will continue to flow into Roma's store sale."