NORTHLAND
Winter has hit, but the market still remained positive at WELLSFORD last Monday, due to fewer animals available for purchase, Grant Pallister of PGG Wrightson reported.
Two-year steers 500-550kg $2.12-$2.14/kgLW, 450-500kg $2.16-$2.18/kgLW, 380-420kg $2.17-$2.22/kgLW, 300-330kg $2.27-$2.43/kgLW. Two-year heifers 300-380kg $2.16-$2.27/kgLW. One-year steers 270-305kg $2.23-$2.82/kgLW, 230-260kg $2.97-$3.03/kgLW, 175-205kg $2.58-$3.18/kgLW. One-year bulls 180-200kg $3-$3.06/kgLW. One-year heifers 200-280kg $2.26-$2.70/kgLW, 170-200kg $2.77-$3.06/kgLW.
A slight rise in trade schedules wasn't reflected on Tuesday as the prime cattle numbers weren't available.
Heavy steers $2.18-$2.22/kgLW, medium $2.15-$2.17/kgLW. Heavy heifers $2.12-$2.16/kgLW, medium $2.05-$2.08/kgLW. Heavy cows $1.68-$1.75/kgLW, medium $1.56-$1.61/kgLW, light $1.25-$1.41/kgLW. Heavy bulls $2.36/kgLW.
Lamb prices eased slightly as space tightens due to the bobby calf kill.
Heavy prime lambs $111-$120, medium $106-$108, light $102-$105. Good store lambs $85-$92, medium $75-$77, light $62 to $71. Heavy ewes $78-$80, medium $58-$65, light $31.
AUCKLAND
Some very good quality 2-year store cattle were on offer at PUKEKOHE on Saturday July 28 and sold well enough, Chris Humphrey of Livestock Mart Auctions reported, though many potential buyers seemed deterred by recent very wet underfoot conditions. Best store steers made to $1085 and prime heifers $1130. There were fewer young cattle on offer and the better quality cattle continue to sell really well, which is probably just as well considering the bobby calf price!
Good 2-year forward steers $1020-$1085, other 2-year steers $840-$945, crossbred yearling steers $580, medium weaner steers $425-$505.
Best prime heifers $998-$1130, medium 2-year heifers $780-$810, medium yearling heifers $500-$590, weaner heifers $385-$475.
Murray Grey bull $1385, Friesian cows and calves $620-$750, boner cows $780.
The yarding was only half full at KUMEU last Monday, Humphrey reported, but cattle sold pretty well, with a good pen of prime steers making $1620. Nice yearling whiteface heifers sold well to $610 and more medium sorts $510-$530. With these wet, windy days, spring can't come soon enough!
Best prime steers $1620, medium 2-year whiteface steers $1000, medium weaner steers $460-$505, medium 2-year crossbred heifers $790-$820, good yearling heifers $510-$610
Fat lambs $105, store lambs $54-$80, ewes $50-$79.
COUNTIES
Constant rain failed to dampen the store cattle market at TUAKAU last Thursday, PGG Wrightson agent Roy Allen said.
"It's been persisting (not his actual word) down for the last three days and paddocks are very wet," he said, "but the market was still firm."
R3 whitehead steers at 480-560kg made $2.08-$2.17/kgLW, or $1060-$1220, and R2 whitehead steers, 345-395kg, earned $2.34-$2.41/kgLW. Angus-Friesian steers, 430-438kg, traded at $2.20-$2.22/kgLW, or $950-$975, and R2 beef-cross types at 367-373kg returned $2.12-$2.26/kgLW.
The sale included a good offering of R1 steers, including a quality line of Limousins that earned $830. Whitehead steers, 280-310kg, sold at $760-$780 and 244-269kg whiteheads fetched $710-$755. Lighter whiteheads at 186kg made $630 and Angus steers at the same weight, $610.
A line of vetted-in-calf Angus cows at 528kg earned $940, with whitehead cows, 593kg, making $1060 and 530kg cows, $930.
Two-year beef heifers, 400-418kg, traded at $2.12-$2.17/kgLW, or $880-$910, and whitehead heifers at 411kg made $2.10/kgLW. Good 15-month heifers at 342kg sold for $735 and lighter beef heifers, 326-358kg, returned $2.06-$2.13/kgLW.
Allen said the heifer offering also included a good line-up of R1 cattle. Limousin heifers at 336kg made $860 and whitehead heifers, 256-275kg, $665-$680. Whitehead heifers at 247-259kg earned $555-$593 and Herefords at 201kg, $550.
One of the highlights of the day was the sale of early whitehead calves at 71kg. They made $455.
A total of 367 cattle were yarded.
Last Wednesday's prime sale attracted an offering of 440 head and included a good yarding of steers.
Heavy steers, 690-805kg, sold at $2.17-$2.25/kgLW, which was down slightly on previous weeks, and 660-680kg steers made $2.18-$2.21/kgLW. Angus steers at 640kg "topped the day", earning $2.26/kgLW, with whitehead steers, 610-650kg, making $2.14-$2.22/kgLW. Angus steers at 524kg returned $2.21/kgLW and Devon steers, 506kg, $2.22/kgLW.
Good quality Devon heifers at 600kg fetched $2.23/kgLW and other heavy heifers at 575-625kg earned $2.13-$2.15/kgLW. Heifers in the 457-480kg weight range made $2.13-$2.16/kgLW and lighter heifers at 414kg, $2.14/kgLW.
A line of Angus and Angus-cross cows at 432-571kg, ex Waiheke Island, traded at $1.67-$1.68/kgLW, or $770-$960, and other heavy beef cows, 575-610kg, returned $1.82-$1.84/kgLW. Friesian cows, 510-560kg, fetched $1.51-$1.57/kgLW, with 446-500kg boners making $1.35-$1.41/kgLW and lighter cows, $1.15-$1.26/kgLW.
A single Hereford bull at 725kg sold at $2.42/kgLW.
BAY OF PLENTY
The wet weather, with some farms having 70-80ha covered with water, is not helping the market, said Stu Langdon of PGG Wrightson. But nevertheless last Tuesday's RANGIURU sale was a sound one, albeit still small in numbers.
The only pen of older steers to weigh over 500kg made $1155, $2.19/kgLW, while 460kg steers fetched $1040, $2.26/kgLW and 389kg steers traded at $900, $2.31/kgLW. $575-610 bought steers under 250kg, $3.15-$3.25/kgLW. These rates indicated buyer preference for the lighter animals. The best of the heifers made $1035-$1160, $2.12-$2.27/kgLW and a reasonable number of 250-350kg heifers brought $670-$800, $2.21-$2.61/kgLW and lighter $440-$520, $2.31-$3.05/kgLW.
Boner cows were scarce. $1030 was paid for 585kg cows, $1.76/kgLW and the light cows were $735-$810. Few primes came forward, with steers selling to $1165, $2.24/kgLW and heifers at $1015-$1135, $2.09-$2.20/kgLW. Although there were very few of them, weaners produced good returns with bulls at $400-$522, $3.22-$4.06/kgLW and heifers, $352-$430, $305-$3.71/kgLW.
Prime lambs continue to come out in quite good numbers and sold steadily at $73-$119, trade ewes making $84-$86.
Wednesday's calf sale was relatively small but with good demand. Useful whiteface heifers made $80-$130 and bulls $150-$250. A pen of Angus-cross bulls topped at $500.
WAIKATO
Prime cattle values were steady at FRANKTON last week. Very heavy ox, over 700kg, attracted big money at $1569-$1602, $2.20-$2.22/kgLW, reported NZ Farmers Livestock. Ox better than 600kg returned $1293-$1518, $2.13-$2.20/kgLW while those around 500kg fetched $1144-$1199, $2.14-$2.20/kgLW. Best heifers, over 600kg made $1272-$1376, $2.08-$2.12/kgLW. $1150-$1178 was offered for heifers weighing better than 500 kg, $1.98-$2.13/kgLW and light heifers were $765-$812, $1.90-$2.09/kgLW. Prime cows ranged from $940 to $1142, $1.65-$1.70/kgLW and boner cows with weight made $760-$920, $1.54-$1.60/kgLW. Light Jersey boners fetched $440-$581, $1.24-$1.51/kgLW.
Prime lambs remained steady at $105-$120 while store lambs brought $75-$90 for mediums and down to $40 for small. Trade ewes sold at $75-$90 with light at $45.
Around 80% of the 500 cattle penned on Wednesday were either yearlings or feeder calves and, with beef cattle hard to find, many buyers switched to the youngsters, said Mark Gaustad of PGG Wrightson. Those few older steers that did come forward sold very, very strongly, he said, some attractive Hereford/Friesian steers making $1100-$1200, $2.47-$2.48/kgLW and a 619kg line realised $1340, $2.16/kgLW. Lighter Angus brought $915, $2.39/kgLW. The younger steers also set some good prices with solid whiteface making $740-$770, $2.87-$2.98/kgLW and similar Angus $710, $2.66/kgLW. Lines weighing less than 200kg brought $400-$565, $3.09-$4.22/kgLW.
The popularity of young bulls showed with the fact that many lots made $4-$4.87/kgLW and there were close to 200 of them. Whiteface bulls made $345-$482, Herefords $330-$370, heavy Friesians $625-$812, with medium Friesians at $450-$550. Very solid whiteface heifers fetched $585-$700, $2.33-$2.71/kgLW and even lines weighing less than 100kg sold at $328-$372, $2.80-$4.21 and very light at 62-71kg made $210-$272, $3.83-$3.94/kgLW. The best of the R2 heifers fetched $825-$925, $2.17-$2.21/kgLW and mediums were $650-$698, $2.01-$2.26/kgLW.
TARANAKI
There was a buoyant market on prime and boner cows at STRATFORD last Tuesday, Sandra Engelen of NZ Farmers Livestock reported, with dairy in-milk Friesian-cross heifers selling well too.
Prime Angus/Friesian ox 685kg $2.20/kgLW, empty Friesian-cross heifers 410kg $1.90/kgLW, empty Friesian heifers 555kg $2.11/kgLW, empty crossbred heifers 337.5-400kg $1.50-$1.85/kgLW, empty Jersey-cross heifers 335kg $1.48/kgLW, empty Friesian cows 380-555kg $1.30-$1.64/kgLW, empty Friesian-cross cows 478.8kg $1.455/kgLW, empty crossbred cows 480kg $1.44/kgLW, empty crossbred cows 465kg $1.42/kgLW, in-calf 3/4 Friesian-cross cows 452.5-510kg $1.39-$1.40/kgLW.
In-milk Jersey cows $700-$1125, in-milk Jersey-cross cows $775, in-milk Friesian cows $1350-$1850, in-calf Jersey cows $875, in-calf Jersey heifers $1450, in-calf Friesian heifers $1450, in-calf Friesian-cross heifers $750, in-milk Jersey-cross heifers $750, in-milk Friesian heifers $1050, in-milk crossbred heifers $1100-$1525.
On Wednesday, RWB Charolais-cross cows 462.5kg made $740, empty Jersey heifers 253.8kg $420, RWB Friesian heifers 452.5kg $720, RWB crossbred heifers 360kg $650, RWB Jersey heifers 347.5kg $440, RWB Springing Jersey heifers 375-405kg $660-$700.
Twenty-month Angus-cross steers 282.5-340kg $645-$715, 20-month Simmental-cross steers 405kg $890, 20-month Hereford/Friesian heifers 320kg $550, 20-month Hereford-cross heifers 400kg $800, 20-month Simmental/Charolais heifers 265-360kg $530-$790, 15-month Hereford/Friesian steers 332kg $785, 15-month Simmental-cross steers 365kg $800.
One-year Friesian bulls 230-253.1kg $690-$730, 1-year Hereford/Friesian steers 191.3-232.5kg $630-$660, 1-year Murray Grey-cross steers 248.3kg $640, 1-year Friesian-cross steers 285kg $660, 1-year Friesian steers 230-253.1kg $565, 1-year Hereford/Friesian rigs 260kg $675.
R1 Hereford-cross bulls 100kg $320, R1 PB Hereford bulls 190kg $565, R1 Friesian bulls 128.8-260kg $402-$665, R1 Hereford/Friesian steers 190-215kg $620-$685, R1 Hereford-cross steers 105-185kg $360-$560, R1 crossbred steers 110kg $150, R1 Friesian steers 132.5-260kg $302-$665, R1 Charolais-cross steers 222.5-287.5kg $565-$760, R1 Murray Grey-cross steers 232.5kg $650, R1 Hereford/Friesian rigs 215kg $550, R1 Angus/Friesian heifers 230-253.1kg $535, R1 Hereford-cross heifers 180-238.3kg $445-$560, R1 Hereford/Friesian heifers 221.3kg $605-$695, R1 crossbred heifers 195kg $280, autumn-born Hereford/Friesian bull 140kg $435.
Four-tooth ewes $90, mixed-age ewes $76, shorn lambs $78-$94, mixed-sex lambs $70.50, mixed-sex Suffolk lambs $84, mixed-sex Romney-cross lambs $93, ewe lambs $85.
POVERTY BAY
At just 646 total sheep it was a very small sale at Matawhero and it was hard to see the sheep for the rain. There was nothing damp about the market for the 332 store lambs offered and there was quite sufficient fire-power amongst the 20-odd people who watched to produce a market right up to recent rates.
With only seven main lines to choose from and the largest of those offering 67 head, it was notable that five lots made $100-$111.50, the other two returning $91 and $98. One or two small lots sold at $75-$88.
Less than 100 primes came forward, all of them ewes. The older sorts fetched $81-$92 and two tooth ewes made $78-$84.50. Store two tooth ewes realised $85 and mixed age, $82, the lighter older ewes selling at $68-$73 and quite light, $51-$59.
HAWKES BAY
Breeding ewes created the most excitement at STORTFORD LODGE last week with three lines of capital stock ewes from the same vendors that had a successful sale the previous week. The ewe, this week, were those scanned singles, the 4-tooth and 6-tooth lines both making $170 and the 5/6-year line, $162. A few 2-tooths went at $153 and $158 and several mixed age lots returned $136-$150. Quality was very good, commented Lawrence Redshaw of LI Redshaw Ltd, and most ewes would be retained for another year or more. With a general shortage of both sheep and cattle, this was a good thing.
Store lambs attracted good competition, again selling strongly. Best male lambs made $113-$114.50 while those lines estimated below sold at $94-$98.50 and others at $82. Good ewe lambs made $104.50 and $99.70.
Buyers were few and far between and so were the cattle but the market remained strong. Younger cattle made up most of the entry and returned some very good money to vendors. $710 was paid for 263kg Angus-cross steers, $2.70/kgLW, good Friesian steers selling at $615, $2.36/kgLW. R1 Hereford bulls made $680-$975, $2.69-$3.11/kgLW, and several pens of Friesians made $500-$782, $2.80-$3.16/kgLW. Just two pens of R1 heifers went at $435 for Angus-cross, $2.86/kgLW and $585 for Devons, $3.16/kgLW. 483kg R3 steers brought $1150, $2.38/kgLW and whiteface R2 steers $1020-$1060, $2.25-$2.35/kgLW while a pen of 443kg Friesian R2 bulls made $1035, $2.34/kgLW and the only pen of R2 heifers went at $802, $1.89/kgLW.
MANAWATU
The Feilding sheep yarding on Friday was larger than the previous two weeks but slightly back on prices, Elders' Chris Hansen reported.
Ewes brought sold demand with the best of them making from $24 to $156, medium $120 to $130.
Male lambs were making $110 to $118 for the better lines, with medium sorts making $100 to $110 and others $90 to $19.
The feature in the ewe lambs offered was a line offered by Wairarapa farmer Sir Brian Lochore which made $127. Good lines of ewe lambs made $95 to $105 and medium types $80 to $90.
There was a good market for cattle again 2½-year steers making around the $2.40/kgLW mark, two-year steers $2.40 to $2.45/kgLW and yearling bulls in the 230kg range fetching $3.15/kgLW .
Two-year steers made $960-$1070, $2.05-$2.15/kgLW at RONGOTEA last Wednesday, Malcolm Coombe of NZ Farmers Livestock reported, with other crossbred steers $700-$850, $1.75-$1.85/kgLW.
Smaller 2-year heifers, mainly crossbred, sold at $600-$750, $1.95-$2/kgLW. Small yearling bulls fetched $450-$550, $2.40-$2.65/kgLW. A handful of autumn weaner bulls made $390-$420, $3.80-$4.30/kgLW, and yearling heifers sold in the $450-$520, $2.50-$2.60 range.
Cows with calves at foot realised $800-$1,000. A few in-calf cows fetched $1000-$1400, depending on quality. In-calf heifers, mainly Jerseys, reached $500-$700
In-lamb ewes were selling for $90-$100.
Around 600 calves were met by a good buying bench. Top Friesian bulls made $140-$150, medium $105-$125, and the smaller ones $80-$100. Whiteface bulls fetched $200-$230, medium $190-$200. Top whiteface heifers sold for $160-$190, medium $130-$150, small $90-$100. Smaller crossbred bulls and heifers were making $40-$70. Bigger numbers are expected next week.
The first calf sale of the season was held at Dannevirke A&P showgrounds, where 40 calves were yarded. This will grow as the season has only just started. Top Friesian bulls made $140 and medium $100-$120. Only a handful of whiteface heifers were offered, making up to $160.
CANTERBURY
Last Tuesday's sale at CANTERBURY PARK saw only a small yarding of prime lambs offered.
Heavy lambs made $120-$130, with the odd sale up to $137, medium $110-$120, smaller $95-$105.
A smaller yarding of prime sheep entries saw prices ease $5/head.
Top prime sheep reached $95 to $103, medium $85-$93 and lighter $70-$80.
The store lamb market was similar to the previous week.
Best store lambs sold for $95-$100, with the odd sale to $106, medium $80-$85, light $50-$60.
Prime steers 490-500kg fetched $2.30-$2.23/kgLW, 517-540kg $2.31-$2.36/kgLW, 615kg $2.35/kgLW. Prime heifers 460-515kg made $2.38-$2.40/kgLW, 565-585kg $2.20-$2.39/kgLW. Prime cows 510kg reached $1.68/kgLW, 575-595kg $1.46-$1.64/kgLW, 645kg $1.65/kgLW.
Eighteen-month Murray Grey-cross steers sold for $700, and 18-month Murray Grey-cross heifers $725-$740.
Sheep numbers at last Thursday's COALGATE sale were similar to the previous week, as was the market, Glenn Peddie of Peter Walsh &Associates said. Prime lambs made up the majority of the yarding with heavy lambs slightly stronger than last week. Heavy prime lambs made up to $139, medium $115-$125 and lighter lambs made up to $106.
There was a smaller yarding of prime ewes with the market easing slightly. Top ewes made up to $ $102, medium $80-$90 and lighter ewes made up to $70.
The store lamb market was also similar to the previous week, with the best forward lambs making up to $100 while most ranged between $70 and $90.
There was another small yarding of cattle. In the prime section quality was back as was the market with heifers making up to $2.11/kgLW. There were no prime steers yarded. Prime cows made up to $1.66/kgLW and bulls $2.01/kgLW.
In the store section good R2 steers made $2.26-$2.35/kgLW. There was a tidy line of in-calf Angus heifers and they made between $950 and $1000.
MID CANTERBURY
Just a few pens of prime lambs were sold at a wet TINWALD saleyards last week in a sale that saw values fall $6-$10 for medium to heavy lambs while prime ewes lifted up to $10 for better types, PGG Wrightson livestock representatives reported.
The best of the heavy prime lambs sold from $120-$136 while medium type lambs earned $110-$119 with lighter lambs selling from $90-$109.
The best of the prime ewes earned $100-$120 with medium types earning $85-$99 and lighter ewes selling from $60-$74.
There were no store lambs offered.
SOUTH CANTERBURY
A rain-affected store cattle sale on Thursday saw over half the expected stock withdrawn due to the rain that caused flooding in much of South Canterbury early in the week. With just 268 cattle offered the strong buyer gallery pushed values up on the previous sale at TEMUKA. In the prime cattle sale steers and heifers both strengthened in valued by 2-3c/kg while store lambs, mainly made up of Chatham Island lambs over 30kg, also met a buoyant market lifting $3-$5/head. Heavy prime lambs eased in value by up to $5/head while prime ewes lifted $3-$8/head for good quality heavy types. All other prime sheep sold on par with the previous week, PGG Wrightson livestock manager Joe Higgins reported.
Store cattle: R2 dairy beef heifers fetched $770-$1010 (381-448kg), R1 dairy beef steers earned $420-$680 (128-236kg), R1 dairy beef heifers $450 $680 (147-182kg) and R1 autumn born bull calves $190-$410 (77-98kg).
Prime steers 600-850kg earned $2-$2.18/kgLW, 450-600kg $2-$2.20/kgLW, 400-500kg $1.95-$2.17 and dairy types 500-620kg $1.85-$2.01/kgLW.
Heifers 500-680kg returned $2.04-$2.19/kgLW, 400-500kg $2-$2.15/kgLW, 380-450kg $1.70-$1.90kgLW and dairy sorts 380-450kg $1.60-$1.8/kgLW.
Bulls 550-800kg realised $2.20-$2.25/kgLW.
Heavy beef cows 500-800kg realised $1.48-$1.67/kgLW and dairy types 500-750kg $1.30-$1.47/kgLW with poorer sorts 340-500kg earning $1-$1.37/kgLW.
Forward store lambs fetched $95-$107 while medium types sold from $80-$94 and smaller lambs $60-$79.
Good heavy prime lambs realised $130-$143, medium $118-$129 and light $105-$117.
Heavy 1-shear ewes returned $95-$120, medium $85-$94 and light $65-$78. The best of the adult ewes fetched $90-$124, medium $77-89, medium freezers $65-$75 and light freezer sorts $45-$65.
OTAGO
A very small yarding of prime lambs met with limited demand at BALCLUTHA last Wednesday, and values eased by $2-$3/head, Barry Osborne of PGG Wrightson reported. A big yarding of prime ewes met with good demand, and values increased by $2-$3/head.
Heavy prime lambs $105-$122, medium $92-$102, light $88. Good quality 2-tooths $94, medium $85. Heavy ewes $93-$105, medium $82-$91, light $67-$80. Lower condition ewes $30, medium local trade rams $40, light $20.
There was a good sized yarding of in-lamb ewes presented, and they sold strongly with good demand. Values eased slightly on a very small yarding of store lambs.
Top woolly store lambs $91, medium $77. Medium shorn store lambs $76. Tail end lambs $25. Two-tooth breeding ewes SIL $170-$212, mixed-age breeding ewes SIL $162-$194, annual draft breeding ewes SIL $130-$159, fullmouth breeding ewes SIL $130-$145.
A small yarding of store cattle sold with good demand, and maintained values of recent weeks.
Medium R2 Charolais steers 337kg $800, $2.38/kgLW. Good R2 Charolais-cross heifers 476kg $980, $2.06/kgLW. Small R1 Charolais-cross steers 175kg $450, $2.57/kgLW.
SOUTHLAND
A small yarding of prime cattle sold on a good market at LORNEVILLE last Tuesday.
Good cows 560-650kg $1.35-$1.40/kgLW, medium cows 500-550kg $1.25-$1.30/kgLW, medium heifers 435kg $1.91/kgLW.
A good market also met the small store cattle yarding.
Medium yearling beef-cross steers 240kg $595, medium 2-year Friesian steers 413kg $830, medium 2-year Hereford-cross steers 385kg $825.
Firm demand saw prices stay on par with the previous week for prime sheep.
Heavy prime lambs $116-$131, medium $106-$115, light $95-$104. Good quality 2-tooths $80-$94, medium $59-$79, light $40-$55. Heavy woolly ewes $100-$120, medium $85-$95, light $50-$75. Lower condition ewes $35, medium local trade rams $20, light $50.
Top woolly store lambs $95-$100, medium $80-$90, light $70-$75. Tail end lambs $60-$65.
A medium yarding of prime sheep met with good demand at CHARLTON last Thursday.
Heavy prime lambs $124, medium $110-$115, light $100-$105. Good quality 2-tooths $80, medium $70-$75. Heavy woolly ewes $100, medium $85-$90, light $60-$75. Heavy local trade rams $40, medium $20-$30.
Top woolly store lambs $104, medium $90-$94, light $80-$84.
Source: Argentine Beef Packers S.A.
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