Prices for top feeder calves still bullish

Carrfields Livestock auctioneers Sam Arends and Phill Robson take bids for Cooper Smith Friesian Bulls reaching $220/head.

Nearly 350 feeder calves went under the hammer in four recent sales — NZ Farmers Livestock (August 9 and 13, PGG Wrightsons Mangatainoka August 14, Carrfields Livestock August 15).

Prices for the best Friesian bulls were still very high, topping the $200/head mark with exceptional animals reaching a premium of $255 on Monday.

Buyers were not so keen to buy medium quality Friesian bull calves, the range being $90 — 150/head and the smallest calves went at bargain prices.

One buyer who had decided to raise only white faces could not resist the bargains, saying their price allowed him to afford some more expensive calves.

Beef cross bulls were few in number — barely 50 across all sales — but their rarity did not push up the prices. The top prices were for seven Angus crosses at $185/head at Mangatainoka with solo animals reaching slightly higher.

Ross Gibson looks pleased to have this white faced bull calf for $145 from Mangatainoka Tuesday.

These calves are heading to Matt Southgate’s property from the Carrfield sale Wednesday August 15.

This top pen of 17 Friesian bulls sold for $205/head at Mangatainoka.

An impressive line-up of top calves at the PGG Wrightson’s Mangatainoka feeder calf sale Tuesday August 14.