Manawatu stock sales

Feilding Prime Stock Sale Monday April 24

Over 3400 sheep turned up for a prime sale that had originally been cancelled and, to the credit of the auctioneers and the buyers, they were sold in almost exactly one hour. A number of pens at the start of the lamb sale suggested it may have been better to have stayed cancelled but the buyers climbed into their work and prices were at least steady and many were firm on last week. Over 1000 lambs sold for more than $140/head and 24 blackface ram lambs from Paul Claridge sold for $150.

All the heavy lambs are now closing in further on the cents/kg paid for the medium weight lambs which suggests that the prime lambs are not there and the usual discount for heavy lambs may not be so apparent this season and we may see higher sale prices yet. One usual buyer was absent this week but another slotted straight in so there is obviously underlying strength in this market. Store lambs were firm.

Whereas the lamb market was steady to firm the ewe market lifted across the board. A leading lamb buyer moved across to the ewe pens and blew all the other buyers away.

The cow yarding was moderate in size but there had never been any thought given to cancelling it, unlike the sheep section. The paddock buyers were not so active today and cow prices eased a little. Roberts & Murphy sold the only good cows, 7 angus cows for $926 ($1.98), and also sold 4 angus heifers for $1233 ($2.64) but their age was uncertain. There were very few cows in good condition and a reasonable proportion of the cows were jerseys so this does not help keep the sale prices up.

There was a bull for all tastes on offer but bull prices also eased.

Sheep (3,432): lambs (2,537); prime (2,463), 39-62kg, $109-$150, $2.45-$2.90, steady; store (74), 28-38kg, $76-$115, $2.60-$3.00, firm; ewes (854); good, heavy, 26kg, $103-$105, $4.00, lift; medium, 21-25kg, $80-$99, $3.80-$4.10, lift; lighter, 18-20kg, $70-$77, $3.75-$3.90, lift; 2ths (22), $65-$105; male sheep (19), $58-$100.

Cattle (211): steer (1), 450kg, $1237, $2.75; heifers (19); 382-467kg, $993-$1233, $2.60-$2.64, steady; lesser sorts, 380-403kg, $870-$894, $2.22-$2.29; cows (177); good, heavy, 468kg, $926, $1.98; boners, 313-578kg, $488-$1063, $1.56-$2.00, ease; bulls (14); 330-880kg, $729-$1777, $2.02-$2.62, ease.

Feilding Calf Sale Monday April 24

The calf yarding was only around 70 calves and, with very few friesian bull calves in the yarding, the market prices were slightly easier.

Bulls: friesian; $230-$300; charolais cross, $450; H/FR; good, $370-$400; medium and red coloured, $270-$320. Heifers: H/FR; good, $320-$375. Feilding Store Stock Sale Friday April 21

It has been a long week at the Feilding saleyards with a sale every day. This sale, blessed with a fine autumn day, featured a very large yarding of well over 22,000 lambs and a massive cattle yarding of nearly 1900.

The sheer number of stock entered may have affected sale prices to some degree. Vendors have been achieving high prices for some time now and, with the first frosts being recorded, selling store stock has much appeal. Many lambs are now nearing ready to be shorn again so selling now makes sense without having to find extra feed.

Few of today’s lambs were exceptionally heavy so vendors are going deeper with their drafts but there is little difference on this market between the top lambs and the lesser cuts as buyers buy to dollar levels again. Most of the yarding seemed to sell between $102 and $108/head. There was a hint of a slight easing in the ewe lamb section, maybe around $2/head, which consequently reflected in a slight easing for the medium weight lambs but there were obviously a lot more yarded.

The day’s top money was $118.50, paid after spirited bidding for 185 shorn cryptorchids from B Williamson, Waituna West. This just headed off the $116.50 paid for 229 ram lambs from KM & GM Hunt, Pahiatua. The top ewe lamb money was paid for well bred woolly romney ewe lambs from Kuratahi, Taihape, which would have been sought for breeding. 297 sold for $117 and 269 sold for $115 to the same purchaser.

It appears that the Monday prime sale for next week that was initially cancelled is now to be held, as usual.

The store cattle sale had a larger than usual entry of older steers which may well be for the same reasons as the lamb numbers with good money on offer and the seasonal weather change. Ratanui Development Company, Halcombe, had four pens of big older steers with 23 angus/ hereford steers selling for $1860 ($2.98). The better beef bred steers held firm with the dairy cross steers struggling a little. This carried over into the rising two year steer section as well. Medway Hills, Kimbolton, sold 14 South Devon cross steers for $1540 ($3.30) to top this section of 563 cattle. All the rising yearling steers were dairy cross and sold accordingly in this big week for weaners.

Older bulls were on the roundabout again and dropped about 10 cents/kg this week. 15 friesian and friesian cross rising two year bulls from D & D Harrison, Wanganui, sold for $1425 ($2.80). Two pens of autumn born weaner bulls from Loburn Farm, Awahuri; 16 Friesians and 12 hereford /friesians both sold around $1100 ($3.28). Weaner bulls continued to sell well to a small bench of buyers but without cracking $5/kg this week..

The older heifer section was similarly marked back by around 10 cents/kg with another large entry. Weights were not particularly heavy this week. A pen of 10 rising three year angus/hereford heifers from C & D Baird, Mangaweka, that were run with the bull sold for $1340 ($2.75) but little else caught the eye. Takiri Farm Trust, Wanganui, sold 22 rising two year angus/hereford heifers for $1300 ($2.98). A handful of leftover weaner heifers finished a long day.

Sheep (22,598): lambs (22,464); 41-44kg, $112-$118.50, $2.55-$2.87; 36-40kg, $103-$116, $2.60-$3.02, slight ease; 31-35kg, $98.50-$112.50, $2.86-$3.43, steady; 28-30kg, $91.50-$105, $3.15-$3.58, steady.

Cattle (1,869): steers; R3 (302), 452-645kg, $1320-$1860, $2.67-$3.34, firm; R2 (563), 297-511kg, $930-$1540, $2.71-$3.48, steady; R1 (61), 165-212kg, $595-$860, $2.93-$4.86; bulls; R2 (184), 330-508kg, $995-$1425, $2.71-$3.24, ease; R1 (334), 132-336kg, $380-$1100, $2.89-$4.88, ease; heifers; R2&3 (263), 220-487kg, $790-$1340, $2.53-$3.13, ease; R1 (38), 124-168kg, $530-$700. Rongotea Sale April 19 There was a good selection of weaners at Rongotea today for buyers still looking to top up numbers for winter.

2 year white face steers 630 kg made $1780 ($2.83) and 352 kg - 443 kg made up to $1210 ($2.64 - $2.75). Angus steers 448 kg made $1260 ($2.82) and galloway steers 358 kg made $955 ($2.67).

2 year miniature hereford bulls 305 kg – 350 kg made up to $1005 ($2.23 - $2.73). Jersey bulls 328 kg – 455 kg made up to $1125 ($2.41 $2.47) and cross breed bulls 412 kg made $1110 ($2.70).

2 year white face heifers 348 kg – 410 kg made up to $1100 ($2.54 $2.76), friesian heifers 327 kg made $690 ($2.11) and cross breed heifers 315 kg - 435 kg made up to $1100 ($2.43 - $2.53).

18 month white face steers 435 kg made $1280 ($2.94).

Yearling angus steers 290 kg made $810 ($2.79), friesian steers 249 kg made $705 ($2.83) and cross breed steers 287 kg made $760 ($2.65).

Yearling friesian bulls 140 kg – 258 kg made up to $790 ($2.88 - $3.55).

Yearling friesian heifers 215 kg made $470 ($2.18).

Weaner white face steers 405 kg made $1105 ($2.73), 200 kg – 282 kg made up to $950 ($2.83 - $3.55) and 110 kg – 160 kg made up to $600 ($3.64 - $4.00). Friesian steers 147 kg – 195 kg made up to $500 ($2.56 $3.00), cross breed steers 272 kg made $760 ($2.80) and murray grey steers 165 kg made$630 ($3.82).

Weaner friesian bulls 147 kg – 173 kg made up to $660 ($3.46 - $3.86) and white face bulls 95 kg – 187 kg made up to $650 ($3.47 – $4.43). Angus bulls 115 kg - 246 kg made up to $780 ($3.18 - $3.81).

Weaner white face heifers 222 kg – 370 kg made up to $980 ($2.65 $2.94) and 120 kg – 148 kg made up to $660 ($2.78 - $4.46). Angus cross heifers 153 kg – 202 kg made up to $610 ($3.01 - $3.78) and friesian heifers 170kg made $400 ($2.35).

Empty friesian heifers made 455 kg – 520 kg made $1130 - $1310.

Friesian boner cows 427 kg - 588 kg made up to $1030 ($1.64 - $1.75) and cross breed boners 370 kg – 605 kg made up to $1100 ($1.57 - $1.81). White face boners 575 kg made $1060 ($1.84). Weaner pigs made $90 - $110. MA ewes made $60 - $77 and mixed sex lambs made $80 - $84.

Good friesian bull calves made $250 – $320, white face bulls made $350 - $450 and angus cross bulls made $275 - $410. White face heifers made $250 - $340 and angus cross heifers made $365.

Feilding Prime Stock Sale Monday 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.

The latter part of the sale steadied up but these were store lambs or forward store lambs and matched last week albeit a little cheaper than Friday.

The ewes were not as good as last week and mostly lighter, medium ewes. Ewe prices were basically steady with some bought to farm on.

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 that.

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.