New Zealand-Cattle markets this week full report.

NORTHLAND

Wellsford held its supplementary weaner fair on Monday last week, with good demand for the lines on offer, Grant Pallister of PGG Wrightson said.

Steers: Hereford/Hereford-cross made $2.13-$2.24/kgLW, Angus $2.25-$2.74/kgLW, exotics $2.02-$2.24/kgLW and dairy beef $2.75-$3.96/kgLW.

Bulls: Friesian sold at $2.49-$2.66/kgLW, dairy beef $1.99-$2.32/kgLW.

Heifers: Hereford/Hereford-cross realised $1.96-$2.09/kgLW, exotics $1.95-$2.01/kgLW, Angus $2.00-$2.18/kgLW and dairy beef $2.44-$2.79/kgLW.

Tuesday’s prime sale saw a slight easing in the beef market, probably due to the decline in the value of the US dollar.

Prime steers made $1.76-$1.85/kgLW, heifers $1.72-$1.77/kgLW, light cows $1.09-$1/15/kgLW and heavy cows $1.27-$1.35/kgLW.

Prime lambs continued to sell well, making $108-$116 and medium $85-$95. Heavy butchers’ ewes made $60-$68 and light $48-$55. Mixed-aged breeding ewes sold from $72 to $77.

Two-year and 18-month steers made around $1.80-$185/kgLW at the Kaikohe sale on Wednesday, PGG Wrightson agent Steve Flood said.

The 18-month bulls made $1.60-$1.65/kgLW and 18-month heifers $1.80-$1.82/kgLW. Cows were $1.00-$1.20/kgLW. Friesian feeder bulls calves fetched $100-$110, with whiteface bulls calves making $125.

AUCKLAND

A large yarding of cattle sold well enough at Pukekohe on Saturday, March 21, especially older cattle. However, weaner whiteface steers and heifers were harder to sell than previous weeks due to the large number on offer and the need for rain. Medium weaner whiteface steers made to $485 and heifers $385. The market for yearling and older cattle was very strong.

Steers: Best made $1088-$1190, others $742-$895, weaner whiteface $425-$485 and small crossbred $300-$410.

Heifers: best made $750-$770, medium yearlings $520-$632, small yearling $440-$500, medium weaner $330-$390 and small weaner $200-$315.

Boner cows earned $350-$575, cows and calves $672-$1005. Bulls made $1010-$1310.

With many older cattle on offer at Kumeu last Monday the market was very strong, with best steers selling very well to $1130 and medium sorts to $868. Boner cows too, made good value to $565.

A large attendance of buyers helped the market remain buoyant, but a common thought among those buyers was the need for a bit more rain.

Steers: Best made $902-$1130, other 2-year $768-$868 and smaller 15-month $582.

Medium prime heifers realised $740 and smaller yearling sorts $467. Boner cows fetched $490-$565.

COUNTIES

A smaller bench of buyers, drier weather and talk of a schedule drop meant auctioneers had to work hard to sell a large yarding of more than 1200 cattle at Tuakau last Thursday, PGG Wrightson agent Roy Allen said.

As a result, prices eased on the previous week, with 30-month steers 450-500kg, selling at $1.76-$1.85/kgLW and 20-month whitehead steers making $1.88-$1.93/kgLW. This was back at least $0.10/kgLW on the previous week, Allen said.

Good-quality Angus-Friesian steers 350-380kg, returned $1.95-$1.97/kgLW and good Friesian steers 400-440kg, made $1.70/kgLW. Crossbred steers "took the biggest hit", with 300-350kg steers making just $1.40-$1.50/kgLW.

In the heifer section, forward 20-month whitehead and exotic heifers 426-450kg, sold at $1.70-$1.75/kgLW, with prices for other whitehead heifers 350-380kg, also back at $1.75-$1.85/kgLW.

Last Wednesday’s prime sale drew a good yarding of 850 prime steers and boner cows. Prices for the good-quality cattle were similar to the previous week, but Allen said lesser-quality stock were harder to sell.

Heavy steers 650-750kg, made $1.90-$1.97/kgLW and 550-600kg steers earned $1.81-$1.88/kgLW.

Allen said buyers were more selective on the light yarding of heifers, with heavy types 520-550kg, making $1.83-$1.85/kgLW and 450-500kg heifers returning $1.84-$1.86/kgLW. Lighter heifers sold at $1.75-$1.78/kgLW.

Beef cow numbers increased, but a reduction in paddock buying support made the market slightly softer. Heavy beef cows made $1.30-$1.36/kgLW and medium beef cows $1.20-$1.28/kgLW. Good paddock cows earned $1.15-$1.19/kgLW and heavy Friesian boners sold at $1.18-$1.24/kgLW. Paddock buyers kept the market for younger empty Friesian cows relatively firm at $0.95-$1.00/kgLW. Other Friesians made $0.85-$0.90/kgLW.

Heavy Hereford bulls sold at $1.88-$1.95/kgLW, with overweight sorts making $1.60-$1.65/kgLW.

Last Monday’s sheep sale attracted only a small yarding, but the best of the lambs sold from $95 to $120.

BAY OF PLENTY

More than 1000 cattle came to Rangiuru last week and around 50% of them were boner cows. There were easing tendencies for some classes, but overall the sale was "in-balance" Stu Langdon of PGG Wrightson said.

Average-type boners were $0.40/kgLW cheaper, with 300 head coming into the 400-480kg range. These sold at $300-$565, $0.72-$1.35/kgLW and heavier cows, up to 580kg, returned $480-$640, $0.94-$1.21/kgLW.

A single cow 780kg, brought $1140, $1.46/kgLW. The light cows less than 400kg only made $100-$355, $0.27-$0.95/kgLW.

There was interest from Manawatu buyers in the older steers, the best of which made $1045-$1185, $1.92-$1.95/kgLW. Lines over 400kg went for $800-$900, $1.62-$1.88/kgLW and quite light were $655-$755, $1.65-$1.67/kgLW.

R2 steers lost a bit of ground from recent high rates and sold at $710-$790, $1.76-$1.81/kgLW, good medium steers making $540-$625, $1.68-$1.81/kgLW.

Weaner bull, steer and heifer rates also came back a shade. The top bulls at 270kg, brought $605, $2.24/kgLW, with many sales at $355-$420, $2.00-$2.67/kgLW and $278-$380 secured lesser sorts.

Solid weaner steers 270kg, sold at $590, $2.15/kgLW and good beef-bred steers were $470-$545, $2.20-$2.34/kgLW. At the other end, steers around 100kg made $368, $3.41/kgLW.

Most weaner heifers were in the lighter weight ranges, the better sorts making $410-$460, $1.69-$1.79/kgLW, while a good many lots realised $290-$360, $1.87-$2.10/kgLW.

Not a lot of prime cattle came forward. Bulls went at $1315-$1440, $1.93-$1.97/kgLW, ox at $900-$975, $1.80-$1.83/kgLW and heifers $560-$885, $1.14-$1.77/kgLW.

Good R3 heifers sold at $770-$840, $1.77-$1.80/kgLW and there were sales at $1.16-$1.32/kgLW. R2 heifers were easier, most lines making $1.55-$1.75/kgLW, the top price being $590-$630.

Prime lambs rose to $110 and averaged $81 and a good entry of trade ewes peaked at $70. Light ewes were down to $20.

WAIKATO

Ox and heifer rates remained firm at Frankton’s prime fixture last week, although there was an easing tendency in the cow section.

Very heavy ox 710-782kg, fetched $1437-$1595, $1.97-$2.04/kgLW, while 620-685kg ox made $1159-$1325, $1.87-$1.93/kgLW. Lines less than 600kg traded at $977-$1102, $1.80-$1.88/kgLW.

Heavy heifers 574-595kg, realised $1061-$1148, $1.85-$1.93/kgLW and 470-490kg heifers made $864-$867, $1.77-$1.84/kgLW. Lighter again were $812-$820, $1.85-$1.87/kgLW.

A pen of 643kg cows fetched $790, $1.23/kgLW and another, at 570kg, attracted $695, $1.22/kgLW. The others, in a short entry, made $372-$444, $1.08-$1.13/kgLW, Ian Thomson of Allied Farmers said.

An 830kg bull sold at $1352, $1.63/kgLW, with other sales at $578-$973, $1.40-$1.82/kgLW. $0.86-$1.06/kgLW covered the small offering of boners, the best making $424-$529 and the rest at $321-$382.

Prime lambs followed recent trends and made to $120, medium weights making $90-$100 and lighter $75-$80.

The shortage of trade ewes forced values to $80 for young ewes and the entry averaged $60, the plainer ewes making $40-$50.

In an encouraging shift, a large offering of in-calf beef cows was bought for breeding purposes rather than the hook at Frankton’s store sale. Most were VIC, Cam Heggie of Allied Farmers said, and were also traditional breeds.

Almost half of the entry s