Stock sales around the region

FEILDING STORE STOCK SALE APRIL 13

The lamb yarding for this sale was quite a few less than advertised, which probably worked in the favour of the market. Lambs are again struggling with the dull and wet conditions and are not weighing as well as may be expected. This was reflected in the weights of the lambs offered which were generally less than many observers thought.

Many of those observers also considered the sale prices to have retreated but, while the lighter and longer term lambs did ease a little, the better lambs remained virtually steady on a cents/kg basis. Okahu Trust, Raetihi, sold 88 shorn ram lambs for $129 to top the sale. These lambs were easily the heaviest offered and, while some way below meat value at present, will grow on to be heavy lambs. Next up was $113.50 for 250 cryptorchids from K Devane Taihape. Ewe lambs sold for little discount compared with the male lambs. The heaviest of the ewe lambs, a large line of 407 from Dochroyale Ltd, Taihape, sold for $108.50.

The cattle yards are working hard at present with a full week for next week scheduled.

The quality of the cattle offering was less than over recent weeks and was dominated by the dairy industry. Nearly all the steers were dairy-crossbred, the bulls were mostly Friesian and only the older heifer section offered some better beef bred cattle.

The top two year steers, 16 Herefords from Te Kopi Farm, Martinborough, sold for $1550 ($3.09) which was only $10/head less than the top three year steers, indicating the quality.

The best indicators in the bull section were the 8 rising two year Friesians from Loburn Farm, Awahuri, which sold for $1500 ($2.90) and a pen of 5 useful, older weaner Friesians from M& K Pearce, Kairanga, which sold for $955 ($3.53) but apart from these there was little to write home ahead. Even the Angus bulls did not sell for huge money.

As mentioned, there were some good beef bred heifers offered but these did not escape the general market ease. Glenavy Farm, Marton, and M& A Billinghurst, Halcombe, had pens of good Charolais cross rising two year heifers with the top 9 of the Billinghurst heifers selling for $1390 ($3.13). Overall, the heifers may have slightly bettered the cents/kg for the steers but it was deserved. The weaner heifers were mostly dairy types and not suited to a weaner fair.

Sheep (14,847): ewes, RWR, 2th-MA (393), $69-$118; lambs (14,454); 42-45kg, $114-$129, $2.71-$2.86; 36-40kg, $104-$118, $2.71-$3.06, steady; 31-35kg, $98-$108, $2.94-$3.31, slight ease; 25-30kg, $88.50-$105, $3.20-$3.59, slight ease.

Cattle (787): steers; R3 (68), 531-588kg, $1410-$1560, $2.61-$2.88; R2 (146), 336-501kg, $1020-$1550, $2.59-$3.49, ease; R1 (33), 118-144kg, $630-$660, $4.47-$5.53; bulls; R2 (133), 267-517kg, $900-$1500, $2.83-$3.51, ease;R1 (135), 108-270kg, $490-$955, $3.10-$5.55; heifers; R2 (191), 272-450kg, $870-$1390, $2.86-$3.22, ease; R1 (76), 113-248kg, $450-$840, $3.38-$5.08; VIC (5), 406kg, $1060, $2.61.

FEILDING PRIME STOCK SALE APRIL 18

This was a reasonably quick sale with a big drop in ewe numbers and also a big drop in heifer and cull cow entries. Little change in lamb entries gave the main buyers plenty to work with, however, although next week’s works closure for Anzac Day on Tuesday is looking likely to lead to a cancellation of the Monday prime sheep sale as the main buyers are unable to shift their stock purchases as quickly as wished.

Prime lamb sale prices lifted from the start of the sale and cents/kg prices again reached a new seasonal high. Quite a proportion of the lamb yarding was ‘‘slabby’’ and could have taken more finishing in spite of being heavy enough already. The money was so good this would not have concerned the vendors but anyone trading would be well advised to properly finish their lambs as they are expensive to replace.

The day’s top sale price was $146.50 for 33 lambs entered by B P Managh and many lambs were sold around the $140 mark. As we have come to expect, the most expensive lambs on a cents/kg basis were those around the 18-21 kg weight range.

Buying to farm on was apparent in the cattle sale as well and a proportion of the cows sold were heading to paddocks. The best cows, including the beef cows, sold to firm demand but the boners eased a little in line with their reduced quality.

The steer and the heifers sold were only of average quality and sold reasonably well, considering. Three Friesian bulls sold for $1785 ($2.88).

Sheep (5,306): lambs (4,605); prime (4,068), 40-56kg, $108-$146.50, $2.60-$2.90, lift; store (537), 27-40kg, $69-$114, $2.50-$2.85, steady; ewes (667); good, heavy, 26-27kg, $98-$105.50, $3.80-$4.20, steady; medium, 21-24kg, $76-$92, $3.70-$4.00, steady; lighter, 16-20kg, $50-$75, $3.10-$3.80, firm; 2ths (9), $97; male sheep (25), $39-$64.

Cattle (158): steer (1), 450kg, $1341, $2.98; heifers (7); 420kg, $1092, $2.60; lesser sorts, 373kg, $746, $2.00; cows (147); good, heavy, 498-643kg, $926-$1356, $1.86-$2.16, firm; boners; 330-557kg, $560-$1068, $1.60-$1.95, ease; bulls (3), 620kg, $1785, $2.88, firm.