Manawatu stock sales

Feilding Prime Stock Sale Monday May 8

The prime sheep yards are definitely a ‘‘numbers game’’ at present with, once again, too many lambs for the market to stay up and yet more ewes would have readily been snapped up by the buyers. More than 8000 lambs were offered which was over 3000 less than last week but sale prices definitely eased back from last week. This ease was mostly felt in the heaviest lambs as $140 seemed to be somewhat of a brick wall today and bidding just stopped at that level. In essence, there was very little change in the lighter 17-19kg carcase weight lambs. As can often happen, there were periods when the sale was stronger but buyers dropped out as they secured their numbers and the sale ended on an easing tone.

The end of the sale also coincided with more store lambs but they remained reasonably steady on last week’s reduced levels. Buyers are paying a lot for wool on these woolly store lambs and a wool buyer actually popped in to the sale and did not spread much optimism.

Ewe entries were less than half of last week and another buyer arrived who wanted all the better cutting ewes and he pushed out the regulars. Consequently, ewe sale prices enjoyed a solid lift of at least $5/head and, frankly, do not look like easing back anytime soon.

Cow numbers were back on last week which adds some weight to suspicion that the cow cull will not take long. The paddock buyer from last week was active again. A greater proportion of the cow yarding was better yielding beef cows this week. ‘‘Kuratahi’’, Taihape, sold 20 solid charolais cross cows for $1397 ($2.06) with a couple of simmental cross cows at $1526 ($2.12) and the cows were firm to lifting overall.

Of interest in the steer pens was a big simmental cross steer that weighed in at 950kg and sold for $2479.50 ($2.61).

Heifers were firm on a larger yarding and a handful of mostly jersey bulls sold.

Sheep (9,242): lambs (8,177); prime (7,294), 39-62kg, $105-$141, $2.30-$2.60, ease; store (883), 25-38kg, $69-$115, $2.15-$3.00, steady; ewes (996); good, heavy, 26-27kg, $109-$114, $4.10-$4.30, lift; medium, 21-25kg, $82-$108, $3.90-$4.30, lift; lighter, 16-20kg, $56-$82, $3.50-$4.10, lift; 2ths (43), $66-$96; male sheep (26), $30-$90.

Cattle (428): steers (18), 430-950kg, $946-$2479, $2.20-$2.73, firm; heifers (71); 480-600kg, $1238-$1572, $2.16-$3.00; lesser sorts; 210-460kg, $210-$1129, $1.00-$2.10; cows (333); good, heavy, 520-720kg, $1003-$1526, $1.85-$2.15, lift; boners; 352-690kg, $541-$1324, $1.47-$2.10, firm; bulls (6); 320-540kg, $640-$1355, $2.00-$2.51. Feilding Calf Sale May 8 Calf numbers are tailing off with only 50 offered at this sale. Sale prices are remaining strong for the good beef cross calves and there were no friesian bull calves offered at all.

Bulls: H/FR X; good, $390-$430; medium, $300-$335; simmental X; good, $400-$415. Heifers: H/FR X; good, $300-$315 Feilding Store Stock Sale Friday May 5

A moderate yarding of 16,500 sheep were presented on a fine and blue sky day.it allowed most of the lambs to present well which, with the amount of wool some of them are carrying now, was good.

A handful of average run-with ram ewes went through at the start and the first pens of lambs gave a strong indication of the likely direction of the sale when they eased back from the last few weeks. A downwards correction in store lamb values has been looming for the past few sales with other regional sales easing and the large number of store lambs offered at last Monday’s prime sale also eased. The correction was not great – around 10 cents/kg – but it was felt across all weight ranges. The number of lambs offered was quite manageable and all sold but the buying ranks were reduced with very few local buyers operating.

The day’s top sale price was $115 for 253 woolly ewe lambs from Kotuku Farm, Marton. They saw of the heavier male lambs with 362 woolly romney cryptorchids from GP Alabaster, Taihape, making $113.50 and both Champion Farming, Pahiatua, and Makotutu, Taihape, sold male lambs for $113.

Lines of mixed sex lambs continue to sell at a discount and, as mentioned, many lines of lambs are ready for the second-shear. Ewe lambs ranged a little more widely with regard to cents/kg today and some sold at quite good prices occasionally. Every week it seems that lambs in a 5kg lower weight bracket sell for nearly the same money as those above and this week was no different.

A noticeable aspect of the cattle sale was the number of dairy-cross cattle and ‘‘brindle’’ coloured cattle. While it is true that it would not be much of a sale without such cattle, they do not command premium prices by any means. Coupled with the fact that many local cattle graziers are still too wet, this sale was on the back foot a little. Older steers were barely steady on a small entry – ‘‘The Pinnacles’’, Waitotara Valley, sold 14 angus and angus/hereford cross steers for $1600 ($3.03) – and the younger steers eased on good numbers. A small line of 4 prime simmental cross rising two year old steers from Te Mahora Trust, Durie Road, did stand out and sold for $1820 ($2.92) but there was little else that caught the eye.

In comparison to last week’s large entry, the older bull section was very small but had a greater ease. Hedgeley Partnership, Taihape, sold 15 rising two year friesian bulls for $1405 ($2.86) as an indication. There were probably too many weaner bulls for the number of buyers present too and some pens were unsold. ‘‘Unisen Farm’’, Masterton, offered a pen of 32 weaner friesian bulls for $940 ($3.83) as the bull section was the day’s weakest.

Dairy and dairy cross heifers made the heifer section somewhat of a struggle as well as the heifer section tracked the steers. A pen of 11 charolais cross rising two year heifers from David Smart Farm, Lees Road, stood out and sold for $1390 ($2.79) but the friesian and friesian cross rising yearling heifers were hard to sell. Buyers do tend to shy away from such cattle as winter approaches.

Sheep (16,576): ewes, RWR (297), $67-$116; lambs (16,279); 41-45kg, $103.50-$115, $2.46-$2.79, ease; 36-40kg, $87.50-$111.50, $2.42-$3.22, ease; 31-35kg, $90-$106.50, $2.66-$3.15, ease; 25-30kg, $85-$102.50, $2.84-$3.38, ease.

Cattle (1,469): steers; R3 (50), 473-551kg, $1310-$1600, $2.67-$3.03, steady; r2 (357), 347-622kg, $910-$1820, $2.49-$3.36, slight ease; R1 (46), 148-270kg, $600-$1025, $3.79-$4.52; bulls; R2 (43), 425-491kg, $1130-$1405, $2.59-$3.00, ease; R1 (351), 142-286kg, $380-$940, $2.58-$4.55, ease; heifers; R2&3 (404), 246-502kg, $680-$1390, $2.61-$3.11, slight ease; R1 (118), 133-234kg, $275-$810, $1.95-$4.14, ease. Rongotea Sale Report May 3 There was a big yarding of 2 year cattle and boner cows at Rongotea today with a complete clearance across all lines.

2 year white face steers 425 kg 480 kg made up to $1370 ($2.54 $2.85), angus steers 520 kg made $1370 ($2.63) and friesian steers 330 kg – 445 kg made up to $960 ($2.16 $2.33). Cross breed steers 340 kg – 460 kg made up to $1100 ($2.31 $2.39).

2 year friesian bulls 455 kg – 510 kg made up to $1310 ($2.57 - $2.73), jersey bulls 403 kg made $900 ($2.23) and white face bulls 555 kg made $1500 ($2.70).

2 year white face heifers 388 kg – 418 kg made up to $1110 ($2.42 $2.86), friesian heifers 424 kg – 455 kg made up to $1100 ($2.30 - $2.42) and beef cross heifers 372 kg - 392 kg made up to $1070 ($2.47 - $2.58).

18 month white face bulls 485 kg made $1330 ($2.74) and cross breed bulls 425 kg made $1000 ($2.35).

18 month white face heifers 275 kg – 335 kg made up to $840 ($1.79 $2.60), Speckle Park heifers 350 kg made $895 ($2.56) and friesian heifers 280 kg made $750 ($1.97).

Weaner white face steers 160 kg – 318 kg made up to $910 ($2.85 - $3.75) and 115 kg made $450 ($3.91). Friesian steers 145 kg – 216 kg made up to $500 ($2.27 - $3.12).

Weaner friesian bulls 120 kg – 225 kg made up to $675 ($2.92 - $3.33) and cross breed bulls 173 kg – 217 kg made up to $475 ($2.11 – $2.61). Hereford bulls 305 kg made $1050 ($3.44), white face bulls 120 kg - 155 kg made up to $505 ($3.16 - $3.74) and charolais cross bulls 93 kg made $595 ($6.38).

Weaner white face heifers 114kg – 255 kg made up to $620 ($2.35 $4.53) and angus heifers 165 kg – 198 kg made up to $600 ($2.91 - $3.04). Friesian heifers 148 kg – 235 kg made up to $520 ($2.21 - $2.75) and simmental cross heifers 205 kg – 270 kg made up to $660 ($2.44 - $3.05).

Autumn calving in milk friesian cows made $900 - $950.

Friesian boner cows 390kg – 675 kg made up to $1150 ($1.51 - $1.86) and cross breed boners 438 kg – 535 kg made up to $910 ($1.60- $1.72). Jersey boners 402 kg – 465 kg made up to $790 ($1.51 - $1.70). Weaner pigs made $30 - $60. RWR ewes made $80 and mixed sex lambs made $62 - $85.

Good friesian bull calves made $350 – $400 and smaller calves made $150 - $280. White face bull calves made $260 - $380 and charolais cross bull calves made $405. White face heifer calves made $175 - $415 and charolais cross heifers made $355.