Grass drives the need for all stock
Manawatu farmers with an abundance of grass are dipping into the store market as rain hits the region again.
A dull, windy and wet summer has generated strong pasture growth on many farms, say farmers.
Agfirst consultant, Erica van Reenen said grass growth had been ‘‘top notch’’ for this time of the year with regular rain and warm temperatures, but lambs needed some sunshine to perform well.
‘‘Lambs are growing, but they are behind where they would usually be.’’
She said farmers had drafted finished lambs to the meat plants later than usual.
‘‘And they have been hit with low prices for lambs. The market is not firing.’’
Van Reenen said farmers were taking the option of putting more weight on lambs to improve their returns
‘‘I guess what happens is they are looking at options. They are paid per kilo. The only way to make more money is to put more weight on lambs.’’
She said with plenty of feed around, that was something they could do this year.
PGG Wrightson livestock agent from Taihape, Robert Auld said pasture quality had gone off on most farms as pasture had gone to seed.
However, there was clover in pastures and stock were doing well on that, he said.
Auld said shorn lambs were in demand and fetching a premium as buyers would not have to worry about flystrike, or organising shearers.
‘‘The wool market is not flash. It often costs as much to shear lambs as the wool is worth.’’
He said lambs looked like they needed sun.
‘‘I come from Taihape and the wind there has been really strong.’’
Te Kuiti farmer Jim Blake said he was at the Feilding stock sale to look for cattle or lambs.
‘‘Anything that will eat the grass. And talking of grass, there is lots of it in Te Kuiti.’’
‘‘Lambs have been later and lighter than usual of those sent to the meat plants. However cattle have done quite well.’’
Jill Martin was checking out woolly lambs with an eye to shearing and drafting the top ones as soon as she could.
‘‘I want short-term lambs. They are only at our place for bed and breakfast. I need to get rid of them fast as the prices for lambs are not looking flash.’’
Lambs were $70 to $87 depending on the the size of lambs and wool length.
Farmers at the Feilding sale selling lambs commented that the prices they were getting were not enough.
Meat plant prices usually fell as the season progressed.
The lamb kill was behind where it was last year, as farmers took the option of keeping lambs and finishing them.
Sheep and beef farmer confidence appeared to be at a low ebb as prices took a tumble.
The latest UMR survey commissioned by Beef+lamb NZ showed confidence had dropped by 11 per cent to 32 per cent.
Statistics NZ said beef and lamb exports fell in November, as the amount of meat sold dropped heavily compared with last year’s record season.
Meat and edible offal exports fell $158m (31 per cent) from November 2015, contributing to a $219m (5.4 per cent) fall in overall exports. Beef exports fell 41 per cent in value and 31 per cent in quantity, and lamb exports fell 27 per cent in value and 23 per cent in quantity.