Manwatu¯ stock sales
Feilding Prime Stock Sale Monday December 18
This season’s prime sale programme ended the year with more of a whimper than a bang and a relatively unremarkable sale for both sheep and cattle. This was largely driven by numbers as the only section that increased in size was the bull section as the annual influx of Jersey bulls began.
Prime lamb numbers dropped back and the number of better prime lambs was an indication of the difficulties many are having lifting their lambs to good slaughter weights. Much of the yarding could arguably have been classified as store or, at best, forward store.
Not so for 5 massive lambs from Adrian Thurston’s dairy farm which sold for $145 and the Struan Land Company sold 40 lambs for $140. Even with the reduced prime lamb numbers there was an overall slight easing in sale prices and cents/kg. The store lambs eased more but, as has been stated previously, this is not really the sale for store lambs. They were certainly cheaper than the lambs sold at last Friday’s strong store lamb sale.
With over 2000 ewes fewer than last Monday and a noticeable easing in sale prices last Monday, there was a definite improvement in ewe sale prices today. The heavier ewes lifted with the medium ewes at least firm. The grazing ewes did not change a great deal at all. The Chinese market is still active and the recent falls have sparked that up again so the big seasonal increase in cull ewe numbers is moving through the system, as predicted.
Three big angus/hereford steers attracted attention and sold for $1945 ($2.82) which does leave the prospect of farming on if so wished. One heavy angus/friesian heifer sold for $1505 ($1.93) with the lesser cents/kg reflecting the breed and thus the likely yield of the animal.
Cow numbers were higher than last week but not greatly so and the cow market was essentially steady. Cow breed generally determined the prices with the beef cows making more cents/kg as could be expected.
Forty-eight of the 61 bulls yarded were jersey bulls to gladden the heart of PGGW agent Peter Forrest. Their cents/kg sale prices are generally less than the other breeds but their primary job has been completed. One big angus bull weighed in over a tonne, selling for $1484 ($1.47), and his job is complete too. Four good hereford bulls sold for $2146 ($2.68), however.
The first prime sale for next year will be Monday, January 8.
Sheep (4,931): lambs (1,716); prime (1,468), 33-56kg, $90-$145, $2.60-$3.10, ease; store (248), 26-34kg, $70-$101, $2.50-$3.00, ease; hoggets (44), $55-$100; ewes (3,105); good, heavy (745), 26-34kg, $104-$134, $3.90-$4.30, lift; medium (1,556), 21-25kg, $79-$101, $3.75-$4.20, firm; lighter (798), 16-20kg, $38-$78, $2.20-$3.90, steady; 2ths (6), $80-$81; male sheep (66), $40-$82.
Cattle (138): steers (3), 690kg, $1945, $2.82; heifers (16), 425-780kg, $1011-$1505, $1.93-$2.41; lesser sorts, 282-417kg, $353-$750, $1.25-$2.31; cows (58); good, heavy, 506-724kg, $885-$1346, $1.71-$2.05, firm; boners, 380-530kg, $547-$901, $1.44-$1.70, steady; lesser sorts, 290-300kg, $330-$353, $1.10-$1.22; bulls (61), 300-1010kg, $666-$2146, $1.47-$2.68.
Feilding Store Stock Sale Friday December 15
After such a punishing last week, lamb entries were well over 10,000 head fewer than last week at under 7000. That in itself would always help the market but, coupled with the fact that somebody told the South Island that lambs were cheap last week, lamb sale prices lifted overall by around $10-15/head and, in some cases, by up to $20/head.
A small pen of 28 freshly weaned, whiteface lambs from C Robbie, Palmerston North, sold for $119 but these were works quality with 90 top mixed-sex blackface store lambs from Roger Woodruffe, Awahuri, selling for $117. Reading these figures, it is obvious that the absolute top end did not change greatly (and neither should it at present) but the medium and lighter lambs, that were hit the hardest last week, reclaimed virtually all of last week’s fall. A few pens of shorn lambs did not lack for buyers but all the lambs enjoyed a good day.
With the rain being so localised and unevenly distributed, the local buyers were not particularly active and most lambs headed to the South Island or Hawke’s Bay.
Next week, being the final sale before Christmas will be interesting and the size of the yarding will have a big part to play.
Some cattle sections enjoyed a lift as well, especially the better traditional steers. The yarding was again dominated by yearling cattle but numbers overall were less and much more manageable.
Struan Jones of Stanway grown up children’s trust sold 20 angus two year steers for $1825 ($3.05) and the BLT Partnership, Feilding, sold 20 good yearling angus steers for $1660 ($3.12). Steers may well have recovered the easing they suffered last week but mostly, as stated, for the better black steers.
Bulls was perhaps the day’s weakest cattle section and one suspects that money could be made by those buying bulls to carry through this dry period of increased slaughter demand. Two year bulls were reasonably steady on a small yarding - D Whiting, Ashhurst, sold 4 angus bulls for $1545 ($2.81) but the yearling bulls were harder work. Totara Grove, Halcombe, sold the heaviest yearling bulls, 16 friesians, for $1218 ($2.54) which is clearly below recent highs.
The heifers did suffer a little with a lack of quality in the older heifers and low numbers and some pens of yearling heifers definitely looked buyable later in the sale but are not easy to place in these dry conditions. David Smart Farms, Lees Road, sold the first pen of yearling heifers, 13 charolais cross heifers, for $1110 ($2.64) and this remained the top heifer price.
Earlier in the sale, Ngaturi Station, Pahiatua, sold 12 angus and angus/ hereford cross cows with calves at foot for $1670 ($2.63) so the future is still bright.
With next week being the last sale before Christmas, it is becoming plain that this market is hamstrung by the weather and yarded numbers will again be crucial.
Sheep (7,000): ewes (262), $51-$85; hoggets (20), $122; lambs (6,718); 32-43kg, $87-$119, $2.45-$3.25, lift; 26-30kg, $67-$92.50, $2.48-$3.37, lift; 20-25kg, $44.50-$83, $2.13-$3.45, lift.
Cattle (1,272): steers; 2yr (195), 375-599kg, $1370-$1825, $2.75-$3.15, lift; 1yr (414), 132-532kg, $380-$1660, $2.71-$3.44, lift; bulls; 2yr (33), 410-550kg, $1110-$1545, $2.71-$3.02, firm; 1yr (192), 273-479kg, $720-$1218, $2.51-$2.78, ease; heifers; 2yr (30), 285-440kg, $590-$970, $2.07-$2.53, ease; 1yr (378), 173-408kg, $520-$1110, $2.49-$2.89, ease; cows (30) and calves at foot, 510-635kg, $800-$1670, $1.57-$2.91.
Rongotea Sale Report December 13
The pens were again full to capacity as more stock is put up for sale to relieve pastures from the continuing dry spell, with continuing downward pressure on prices and excellent buying for those lucky enough to have feed reserves.
3 year white face bulls 945 kg made $1505 ($1.59).
2 year angus bulls 440 kg – 545 kg made up to $1400 ($2.56), friesian bulls 392 kg – 525 kg made up to $1300 ($2.47) and jersey bulls 320 kg - 625 kg made up to $1630 ($1.87 $2.61).
2 year white face heifers 328 kg 522 kg made up to $1400 ($2.13 $2.68) and friesian heifers 342 kg made $610 ($1.78).
Yearling white face steers 240 kg – 427 kg made up to $1070 ($2.10$2.63), angus cross steers 405 kg – 428 kg made up to $1005 ($2.35 $2.44) and cross breed steers 332 kg made $530 ($1.59).
Yearling white face bulls 370 kg 402 kg made up to $890 ($2.22 $2.31), angus bulls 445 kg made $1040 ($2.34) and jersey bulls 365 kg made $500 ($1.37).
Yearling white face heifers 250 kg – 322 kg made up to $790 ($2.32 $2.50), friesian heifers 350 kg made $655 ($1.87) and cross breed heifers 327 kg made $530 ($1.62).
Weaner white face steers 108 kg – 158 kg made up to $600 ($3.44 $3.79) and Friesian steers 242 kg made $460 ($1.90).
Weaner friesian bulls 97 kg – 127kg made up to $500 ($3.54 - $4.32), white face bulls 110 kg – 205 kg made up to $560 ($2.73 - $3.46), cross breed bulls 100 kg – 235 kg made up to $610 ($1.75 - $3.70) and jersey bulls 126 kg – 132 kg made up to $300 ($2.21 - $2.26).
Weaner white face heifers 88 kg – 135 kg made up to $480 ($3.56 $4.47), and angus cross heifers 123 kg made $450 ($3.66).
In milk friesian cows made $780 $810 and cross breed cows made $795.
Friesian boner cows 390 kg – 765 kg made up to $1250 ($1.28- $1.63), cross breed boners 435 kg - 505 kg made up to $710 ($1.18- $1.43) and jersey boners 357 kg - 425 kg made up to $525 ($1.04 - $1.32).
Porkers made $135 and weaner pigs made $75 - $100.
MA ewes made $42 - $90, hoggets made $70 and mixed sex lambs made $40 - $100.
White face bull calves made $340, friesian bulls calves made $160 and white face heifer calves made $320.