Across its two selling days per week, Roma reported 312,574 head for the year, down slightly on the 2011 figure of 323,407. Nearest rival Dalby sold 214,358 head for the year.
After that, the picture is a little less clear, as some centres have included clearing dip numbers, private weighings and other transit movements in their throughput.
Cloncurry, for example, reported a total throughput of 200,311 head, but only conducts one cattle sale every second year.
At face value, Blackall reported a total throughput of 153,393, Charters Towers 126,168, Longreach 124,651 and Gracemere 114,899, which places these as the major selling centres after Roma and Dalby.
For those who have been around long enough to remember, these figures represent a significant change to the way fat (prime) and store cattle were sold over the past 20 to 30 years.
Cannon Hill in its heyday sold trade cattle, lambs, pigs and calves on Tuesday, and export cattle and sheep on Thursday.
It was the yardstick for the rest of the market throughout the state, and today it is hard to believe that a saleyard ever stood on the site.
Toowoomba grew at the expense of Cannon Hill, and in its heyday there were three separate yards run by AML&F, Catons and Dalgetys in conjunction with Elders. The AML&F yards now run by Elders show a modest 37,836 head, and the Dalgety yards now run by Landmark show an annual figure of 26,442.
Gracemere used to line up every Monday with a couple of thousand bullocks and cows.
It has done well to hold numbers through a decision to combine fats and stores and change to a Friday sale.
Warwick at 56,647 has probably held its numbers better than many. Its weekly Tuesday sale hasn't really changed much over time, with its mix of local vealers and yearlings, export cattle and stores.
Goondiwindi is another centre that used to line up plenty of good export cattle plus a few outstanding vealers and yearlings every Monday, but has now largely become a store cattle market. Latest figures show 15,510 for the year.
While the picture has changed in response to the ever-changing nature of the industry, the fact remains that saleyards continue to play critical roles in price discovery and exchange along the path from paddock to plate.