New Zealand-Cattle markets.

NEW ZEALAND-CATTLE MARKETS.

NORTHLAND

Welcome rain spurred on spirited buying at Wellsford on Monday last week, PGG Wrightson agent Grant Pallister said, with 450-500kg steers making $1.79-$1.83 kg/LW and 350-400kg steers ranging from $1.77/kgLW to $1.86/kgLW.

Breeding cows of mixed age fetched $672 to $815, 18-month heifers made $1.52-$1.78/kg/LW, weaner steers made $1.81-$2.46/kgLW and weaner heifers made $1.82-$2.64/kgLW.

Good demand for quality store lambs was a feature of last Tuesday’s sale.

Prime steers returned $1.70-$1.77/kgLW, medium steers $1.53-$1.65/kgLW and heifers $1.62-$1.68/kgLW. Light cows realised $0.81-$1.02/kgLW and heavy $1.08-$1.15/kgLW.

Heavy prime lambs fetched $111 to $118 and medium $92-$103. Butcher ewes made $60 to $67 and light ewes $50-$56.

Store lambs, heavy, realised $85 to $89, medium $76-$79 and small $50 to $75.

Wednesday’s sale at Kaikohe saw the mixed quality reflected in the prices, PGG Wrightson agent Vaughan Vujcich said.

Rising 2-year whiteface steers made $1.80kgLW, with beef cross lines $1.68-$1.73/kgLW and Friesian $1.60/kgLW. Dairy beef weaner steers made $2.00-$2.20/kgLW. R Rising 2-year bulls fetched $1.64/kgLW, with beef cross bulls $1.55-$1.58/kgLW and weaner bulls $330-$380.

Two-year heifers fetched $1.65/kgLW, weaner Charolais, whiteface and Angus heifers $1.65-$1.85/kgLW.

Cows vic made $1.10-$1.60/kgLW with heavier sorts $1.00-$1.03/kgLW.

AUCKLAND

The market was much more difficult at the Pukekohe sale on Saturday, April 18, with selling conditions not helping. Drier conditions coupled with a strong dollar and uncertain times had buyers very cautious.

Since Saturday, the dollar has dropped considerably and a good rain has fallen, so prospects are again good. Best steers sold well to $1235 and heifers to $855. Younger stock were hard work. Stock agents are working in interesting times.

Best steers made $960 to $1235, other good steers $790-$855, medium crossbred steers $570-$690, small crossbred $500-$580, very good weaners $535 and other steers $280-$465.

Prime heifers sold for $718-$900, medium 18-month heifers $520 to $570, smaller yearling heifers $380-$490 and other heifers $275-$365. Boner cows made $300-$452.

Good bulls sold for $1030 to $1225 and other bulls $385-$805.

The market at Kumeu on Monday last week was like most places, fickle, with 20-month steers and heifers selling well, but young cattle were a real battle. Cows and any killable cattle sold really well. Hopefully better selling conditions are just ahead.

Plain 30-month steers went for $870, medium yearling steers $538 to $590 and weaner steers $140-$362.

Prime heifers fetched $692-$990, good 18-month heifers $560-$580, Friesian heifers made $365 and weaner heifers $245 to $360. Boner cows returned $220-$540.

COUNTIES

Cattle numbers were up again at the Tuakau store sale last Thursday, but the market remained at a similar level to the previous week, Elders agent Craig Chamberlain said.

About 510 cattle were offered, with 30-month whiteface steers over 450kg selling at $1.69-$1.73/kgLW and 380-450kg sorts making $1.75-$1.86/kgLW. Most 20-month steers, 340-420kg, sold at $1.76-$1.92/kgLW and weaner beef steers earned $420-$560. Whiteface weaner steers made $380-$520.

In the heifer section, 20-month whiteface cattle 340-420kg, returned $1.73-$1.78/kgLW, with 280-330kg sorts earning $1.64-$1.70/kgLW. Weaner beef heifers sold at $380-$490, with whiteface weaners making $370-$440 and lighter crossbred-type cattle $250-$330.

Chamberlain said the bull market firmed slightly on the previous week, with most 20-month bulls up to 400kg selling at $1.77-$1.80/kgLW and rising 1-year bulls ranging from $1.80 to $2.00/kgLW.

Last Wednesday’s prime sale attracted a good yarding of 780 cattle, with boners coming out in big numbers, PGG Wrightson agent Roy Allen said.

Most steers were in the 600-680kg bracket and "sold well considering the schedule drop", making $1.83-$1.88/kgLW. Some good Angus steers at 660kg sold at $1.91/kgLW but the heifer yarding was mixed in quality and breed, with most selling at $1.70-$1.77/kgLW. However, good exotic cattle made $1.80-$1.82/kgLW.

Heavy Hereford cows 660-730kg, returned $1.11-$1.19/kgLW and other beef cows earned $1.07-$1.09/kgLW.

Heavy boner cows made $1.05-$1.09/kgLW and other good Friesians 520-560kg, sold at $0.91-$0.95/kgLW. Allen said paddock buyers kept prices firm for the next cut of cattle, with lighter, mainly younger cows selling at $0.95-$1.01/kgLW.

The few bulls on offer returned $1.63-$1.80/kgLW.

At last Monday’s sheep sale, the best of the prime lambs sold up to $115, with medium sorts making $90-$100 and lighter lambs $80-$90. Store lambs earned $65-$85.

BAY OF PLENTY

There were variations in last week’s cattle market at Rangiuru where more than 700 head went through the rostrum. Rising 2-year and R3 steers, which were of generally good quality, held their own as did weaner steers, but female lines did loose some ground in a market that lacked lustre.

The R3 steers over 500kg fetched $950-$1065, $1.69-$1.80/kgLW, with one line of 618kg steers making $1110, $1.79/kgLW. The better R2 steers went for $715-$788, $1.64-$1.83/kgLW, while the medium steers were $500-$575, $1.67-$1.73/kgLW.

Hereford/Friesian-cross weaner steers sold very well, with lines around 120kg making $362-$405, $3.04-$3.16/kgLW, the top sale being 210kg steers at $440, $2.10/kgLW. Small steers made $220.

The R3 bull market was steady at $1.67-$1.80/kgLW, the heavier bulls selling at $865-$920. Good R2 bulls realised $810-$890, $1.80-$1.84/kgLW, with lighter bulls making $560-$620, $1.65-$1.87/kgLW.

Weaner bull prices eased with good Simmentals making $515-$528, $1.70-$1.83/kgLW and 250-270kg bulls fetching $415-$450, $1.52-$1.76/kgLW, the smaller sorts making $300-$345.

Almost all the R2 heifers sold at $1.49-$1.66/kgLW to return $570-$650, but solid Hereford/Friesians over 400kg made to $748, $1.73.kgLW. Lots weighing less than 300kg traded at $360-$445, $1.10-$1.26/kgLW.

Useful weaner heifers did sell at $365-$420, $1.86-$1.95/kgLW, although quite a few lines struggled to reach $200 and there were sales at less than $1.00/kgLW.

A small entry of sheep saw good heavy prime lambs make to $115 with a low of $63 and an average of $91. A handful of ewes fetched to $49.

WAIKATO

Prime cattle numbers were quite light at Frankton last week, with more than 50% of the total entry being boner cows. Values were steady, Cam Heggie of Allied Farmers said.

Good ox realised $ 1017-$1165, $1.74-$1.84/kgLW and lots weighing 480-580kg made to $1109, averaging $933 and $1.73/kgLW.

Heifers were in short supply, as were bulls. The best heifers made $1018-$1116, $1.67-$1.80/kgLW. The next weight bracket sold at $823-$1000, $1.63-$1.74/kgLW and lighter again fetched $693-$789, $1.54-$1.74/kgLW.

Heavy boner cows over 580kg brought $590-$738, $1.00-$1.15/kgLW and up to 480kg sold from $383 to $690 depending on yield, $0.79-$1.34/kgLW.

Cows just over 400kg made $364-$540, $0.80-$1.19/kgLW and very light lines $241-$343, $0.69-$1.00/kgLW.

A good entry of prime lambs returned good money, with a top price of $129 and the lowest was $94. Solid ram lambs made $100 and better store lambs were $65-$82.50.

Few prime ewes were offered, with the best making $67 and lighter down to $42. Ewes rwr fetched $75.

Values for older steers were reasonably steady at Frankton store sale last week, but younger animals were favoured by farmers who were seeking longer-term investments and lower capital outlay.

Beef-bred R2 steers over 400kg made $735-$742, $1.78-$1.82/kgLW and good whiteface steers fetched $765-$810, $1.68-$1.77/kgLW. One line of 338kg whitefaces sold at $675, $2.00/kgLW. Best weaner steers weighing close to 300kg brought $505-$560, $2.09-$2.29/kgLW, while $400-$485 bought mediums, $2.05-$2.18/kgLW and the