Manwatu¯ stock sales
Feilding Prime Stock Sale Monday, September 25
Sheep entries were 2000 head less than last week and this drop was mostly in the numbers of heavy hoggets offered although ewe numbers were also reduced. This reduction in numbers actually caused a slight lift in the sale prices of the heavy hoggets but not up to the very high prices we have seen this season with today’s top price being $174.50 for 131 male hoggets after a strong pitch from auctioneer Cam Waugh.
The firmer levels were maintained for the heavy hogget section and in to the medium hoggets but then just buttoned off a little and the medium hoggets were fairly steady on last week overall. A high proportion of those medium hoggets are not quite finished so carcase yields would be lower.
These forward store hoggets as well as the obvious store hoggets were steady and, with growing indications that there will not be large numbers of early season lambs coming forward, may offer a last trading opportunity if their teeth are later cutting.
Ewe numbers are still low with the weather making life difficult for the docking gangs. There is continuing strong inquiry for ewe mutton and sale prices are still firming. If the early lambs do not come forward, this will lead to even more demand for ewes.
There was a big increase in the number of cows offered for sale but there are still not high numbers coming forward. Local trade demand kept the sale prices for the steer and the beef heifers at firm levels.
A number of the dairy cows sold this week were in good order but with the ‘‘same old same old’’ buyers operating in the ‘‘same old same old’’ fashion, sale prices were virtually steady with a little off the top but the lowest cents/kg improving.
Sheep (5,062): hoggets (4,474); heavy prime (1,414), 51-62kg, $161-$174.50, $2.80-$3.10, slight lift; medium prime (2,564), 40-50kg, $125-$158.50, $3.00-$3.30, steady; store (496), 26-42kg, $61-$139, $2.35-$3.60, steady; ewes (582); good, heavy (124), 26-34kg, $128-$150, $4.50-$5.00, firm; medium (376), 21-25kg, $88-$128, $4.20-$5.10, firm; lighter (53), 16-20kg, $61-$87, $3.80-$4.30, firm; 2th & fresh 4th (29), $68-$121; male sheep (6), $56-$150.
Cattle (74): steer (1), 520kg, $1435, $2.76; heifers (3), 400-550kg, $1000-$1578, $2.50-$2.87; cows (69); good, heavy, 385-635kg, $839-$1282, $2.00-$2.48, steady; boners, 365-580kg, $631-$1131, $1.70-$1.98, steady; bull (1), 620kg, $1661, $2.68.
Manfeild Park Calf Sale Monday, September 25
This was described as a good, strong calf sale with around 200 calves sold.
Bulls: friesian; good, $130-$150; medium, $100-$125; h/fr x; good, $230-$250; medium, $140-$180.
Heifers: h/fr x; good, $175-$205; medium, $100-$165.
Feilding Store Stock Sale Friday, September 22
It would be fair to say that numbers, or the lack thereof, had a big influence on sale prices in the sheep pens. Numbers offered for all types of sheep were reduced below last week’s levels and sale prices for all those types were firm to lifting.
The ewes with lambs at foot section, which eased back last week, firmed right from the start in spite of the offering being mainly medium ewes with no particularly early or large lambs in the pens.
Hogget numbers were right back. The very first pen up, 109 romney ewe hoggets from West Valley Farming, sold for $169. With good breeding behind them and well presented by Stu Humphrey, these hoggets could have offered a breeding option going forward.
The best of the male hoggets, 60 from ‘‘The Shades:, Mangamahu, sold for $154.50. The heavier hoggets remained essentially steady with their values determined by meat schedules but the sale prices for the lighter and medium hoggets lifted appreciably. With a little bit of time remaining for finishing and some buying interest from the Wairarapa competing with the locals, this was a strong sale.
The store cattle sale suffered from a lack of quality and outstanding cattle, particularly in the steer sections. The most noticeable aspect of this sale was the lift in two year heifer numbers with a good number of traditional heifers offered with Alex Stewart being busy marketing some large lines.
There were slim pickings offered to the feedlot operators with the best of the steers being 8 angus/hereford cross two year steers from ‘‘Ngataki’’, Masterton, which sold for $1905 ($3.23). Much of the steer yarding was of a dairy cross background and there is some speculation about how many cattle will be around if the weather ever improves. The dairy cross steers attract a reduced buying interest from the larger cattle finishers.
A few more older bulls came forward and sold to firm if narrow range. C & D Jervois, Dannevirke, sold one pen of 10 friesians for $1815 ($3.16). As expected, the yearling hereford bulls provided the interest in that section and these bulls will be pressed into service. ‘‘Fedamast’’, Wanganui, sold a pen of 6 for $1820 ($4.62). These bulls distort the market a little but the ordinary friesian yearling bulls sold at steady cents/kg levels.
The extra heifer numbers helped lift the heifer section. N Dunlop, Aokautere, entered a few pens of hereford/friesian cross heifers and one pen of 16 at $1340 ($3.24) topped the lifting market with all the straight angus heifers selling around the $3.30 mark again.
Some buyers will be looking for good heifers to go into their herds. This was the strongest section on a day which did not really offer anything spectacular and yearling heifers remained steady.
Sheep (4,759): ewes (743) with LAF (986), $61.50-$92.50; hoggets (2,983); 41-54kg, $141-$169, $3.14-$3.45, steady; 36-40kg, $129-$146, $3.40-$3.76, lift; 31-35kg, $112-$134.50, $3.30-$3.94, lift; 27-30kg, $100-$121, $3.61-$4.02, lift.
Cattle (990): steers; 3yr (39),
Rongotea Sale Report 20th September 2017
A fine day in Manawatu¯ was an added bonus to the sale today, creating demand for the better bred types.
2 year white face steers 290 kg – 430 kg made up to $1250 ($2.59 $3.06) and angus cross steers 339 kg made $1075 ($3.17). Cross breed steers 305 kg - 437 kg made up to $1185 ($2.49 - $2.71).
2 year friesian heifers 450 kg made $1050 ($2.33) and cross breed heifers 310 kg – 390 kg made up to $790 ($2.03 - $2.26). Beef cross heifers 413 kg made $1205 ($2.92).
18 month cross breed steers 385 kg made $1020 ($2.65).
15 month friesian steers 342 kg made $870 ($2.55).
Yearling white face steers 270 kg 352 kg made up to $1120 ($3.18 $3.26), friesian steers 205 kg made $500 ($2.44) and cross breed steers 174 kg – 210 kg made up to $540 ($1.95 - $3.11).
Yearling friesian bulls 169 kg - 295 kg made up to $775 ($2.63 - $3.96), white face bulls 190 kg - 357 kg made up to $975 ($2.72 - $2.82) and Jersey bulls 185 kg – 252 kg made $740 ($2.22 - $2.85).
Yearling white face heifers 205 kg - 327 kg made up to $1040 ($2.64 $3.26) and Angus cross heifers 225 kg made $700 ($3.11). Murray grey heifers 212 kg made $700 ($3.30), galloway cross heifers 190 kg – 245 kg made up to $510 ($2.08 - $2.16) and cross breed heifers 190 kg – 265 kg made up to $500 ($1.89 - $2.37).
Weaner murray grey steers 127 kg made $600 ($4.74).
Weaner friesian bulls 107 kg – 129 kg made up to $550 ($3.42 - $4.91) and white face bulls 260 kg made$750 ($2.88).
Weaner murray grey heifers 120 kg made $600 ($5.00).
Friesian boner cows 417 kg – 569 kg made up to $1070 ($1.46 - $1.88) and cross breed cows 475 kg – 535 kg made up to $880 ($1.65 - $1.69). Jersey boners 430 kg made $640 ($1.49).
Baconers made $140 and weaner pigs made $50 - $65.
Ewes with lambs at foot made $61 and mixed sex lambs made $49 $122.
Big friesian bull calves made $120 - $150 and smaller calves made $80 $100. Big white face bull calves made $200 - $245 and smaller calves made $80 - $180. Charolais bull calves made $200 - $230 and galloway cross bulls calves made $50 - $145. Big white face heifer calves made $150 - $200 and smaller calves made $100 - $130. Angus cross heifer calves made $215, charolais cross heifer calves made $250 and galloway cross heifer calves made $90 - $150. Dannevirke Calf Sale Big friesian bull calves made $170 - $200 and smaller calves made $80 $140. Big white face bull calves made $250 - $300 and smaller calves made $100 - $200. Angus cross bull calves made $170. Big white face heifer calves made $200 - $280 and smaller calves made $80 - $160.