New Zealand-Weekly cattle markets full reports.

NORTHLAND

Small numbers at Wellsford’s sales on Monday and Tuesday last week helped keep prices strong, PGG Wrightson agent Grant Pallister said.

Only 200 store cattle were penned on the Monday and heavy steers made $1.86-$1.89/kgLW, medium $1.79-$1.90/kgLW and small $1.70-$2.11/kgLW. Heavy heifers fetched $1.70-$1.91/kgLW and medium $1.56-$1.83/kgLW.

Weaner steers sold from $2.02-$2.43/kgLW and weaner heifers $2.10-$2.56/kgLW.

At Tuesday’s prime sale heavy heifers made $1.78-$1.81/kgLW, medium $1.48-$1.73/kgLW and light $1.06-$1.45/kgLW. Heavy cows made $1.29-$1.36/kgLW, medium $1.17-$1.30/kgLW and light $1.01-$1.06/kgLW.

Bulls made $1.79-$1.83/kgLW.

Lambs sold well again, with good prime lambs making $100-$105 and medium $92-$98. Good store lambs made $71-$76, medium $67-$70 and small $46-$53. Heavy ewes made $68-$74, medium $50-$60 and small $46-$53.

Kaikohe held its opening weaner fair on Wednesday, with weaner steers averaging $2.56/kgLW over the offering of 1600 head, PGG Wrightson agent Vaughan Vujcich said.

"We had strong support from Wairarapa and Te Kuiti, traditionally strong supporters of our weaner fairs and they took away a lot of calves, particularly Te Kuiti."

Prices were 50-70c/kg up on last year overall, with autumn-born steers selling around the $2.05-$2.15/kgLW range and spring-born calves $2.20-$2.35/kgLW for the heavier lines, $2.30-$2.60/kgLW for medium and $2.70-$3.00/kgLW for lighter.

AUCKLAND

Cattle numbers were back at Pukekohe on Saturday, February 28, due to a terrible weather forecast causing cancellations and the predicted shortage of older cattle becoming reality.

With grass growth as good as it gets and most properties under-stocked due to excess haymaking, the store market will firm considerably shortly, once buyers accept reality and discover prices are no longer dropping.

Any killable cattle are selling exceptionally well at Pukekohe at present, as are any quality grown cattle.

Good 2-year steers made $955-$1048, good R1 steers $585-$640, small/medium weaner steers $365-$452 and other small crossbred steers $280-$350.

Good weaner heifers sold for $400-$460, medium weaner heifers $300-$390 and small crossbred heifers $240-$290.

Boner cows realised $390-$520, cows and calves $625-$665.

Good bulls made $1020-$1290.

The market at Kumeu on Monday last week was hard to follow, as buyers seemed hesitant to bid freely, despite things being in their favour with grass growing, the dollar dropping and vendors meeting the market.

Given those factors, coupled with a looming shortage of quality stock, one would think buyers would be far more active. Prices will have to rise in the coming weeks, or a lot of quality feed will be wasted.

Medium 2-year whiteface steers sold at $940, very good weaner steers at $640 and small weaner steers $382.

Medium 18-month heifers made $590-$640, smaller heifers $512 and weaner heifers $300-$315.

COUNTIES

Tuakau was hosting a weaner heifer fair last Thursday and prices were about $100/head better than the same drought-affected sale last year, Elders agent Craig Chamberlain said.

"It was a very strong sale with mostly local buying support."

The sale featured about 720 heifers, mainly annual drafts from the Islands and the best of them made $540-$610, or $1.80-$2.10/kgLW. Medium heifers returned $420-$530, or $2.00-$2.37/kgLW and lighter and younger cattle earned $350-$420, or $2.20-$2.60/kgLW.

Prices were also firm at last Wednesday’s prime sale, especially on trade steers and heifers which were 10c/kgLW up due to the shortage of trade cattle.

Chamberlain said heavy steers 550kg and over, sold at $1.85-$1.89/kgLW, with medium steers 480-550kg, making $1.74-$1.80/kgLW and trade steers $1.80-$1.85/kgLW.

Heavy heifers made $1.78-$1.84/kgLW and trade heifers $1.76-$1.85/kgLW.

Beef cows earned $1.20-$1.35/kgLW and boner cow prices were up again due to strong competition from paddock buyers. Heavy Friesians returned $1.20-$1.24/kgLW and medium sorts made $1.12-$1.18/kgLW. Lighter paddock-type cows sold from $0.94/kgLW, with up to $1.28/kgLW paid for the better younger cows.

Bulls sold at $1.76-$1.80/kgLW.

Last Monday’s sheep sale attracted a very small yarding of prime lambs. Good lambs sold up to $96 and medium sorts made $85-$90.

BAY OF PLENTY

Cattle came out in good numbers at Rangiuru last week, with weaners producing some sound results. Boner cows comprised more than 30% of the total offering and the better-yielding lines sold quite well, although lighter lines struggled.

Heavy ox, steers and heifers continued to produce good returns and in the sheep pens prime lambs sold to a new high of $118, with trade ewes also following the upward trend seen in the last week or so.

Older steers 580-650kg, made $1120-$1235, $1.87-$1.90/kgLW and a lone 730kg ox sold at $1440, $1.93/kgLW. Steers over 480kg fetched $845-$1082, $1.53-$1.88/kgLW and those weighing 400-480kg made $685-$735, $1.51-$1.73/kgLW. Steers in the 250-350kg range were steady at $512-$618, $1.71-$1.86/kgLW.

Weaner numbers were small, but steers 120-150kg were knocked down at $372-$377, $2.77-$3.05/kgLW and weaner heifers sold from $250-$275, $2.02-$2.18/kgLW, the weaner bulls making $310-$360, $1.91-$2.05/kgLW.

Good-conditioned heifers over 480kg made $1035-$1052, $1.82-$1.85/kgLW and 400-480kg lots sold at $785-$790, $1.69-$1.78/kgLW. $310-$500 bought heifers weighing 250-350kg. According to quality, they made $0.92-$1.58/kgLW.

A small line of 716kg bulls sold at $1440, $2.01/kgLW and another lot at 640kg fetched $1205, $1.88/kgLW and 515kg bulls made $830, $1.61.kgLW.

Most boner cows were in the 400-480kg range, values varying from $250 to $575, $0.58-$1.21/kgLW. Better cows 480-580kg made $565-$750, $1.11-$1.37/kgLW and $990 was top price.

The sheep entry was not large. Heavy prime lambs went to $118 and averaged $87, while good ewes fetched to $78, but very poor were down to $13.

Vendors were pleased with prices at last week’s Taupo weaner fair, Shane Scott of Central Livestock Stock said.

Steers: Top Angus $2.10-$2.50/kgLW, medium $2.24-$2.29/kgLW, small $2.38-$2.80/kgLW, top Charolais-cross $2.09-$2.23/kgLW, medium $2.30-$2.57/kgLW, small $2.72-$2.86/kgLW, Simmental-cross $2.19-$2.25/kgLW, Angus cross $2.01-$2.29/kgLW, Hereford/Friesian cross $2.49-$2.75/kgLW.

Bulls: Limousin-cross $2.20/kgLW, Hereford $2.52-$2.92/kgLW, Friesian $2.54-$2.56/kgLW, Hereford/Friesian-cross $2.31-$2.75/kgLW.

Heifers: Heavy Angus $1.88-$2.02/kgLW, medium $2.04-$2.06/kgLW, light $2.50/kgLW, autumn-born Charolais $1.68/kgLW, heavy Charolais-cross $1.80-$1.90/kgLW, medium $2.12-$2.21/kgLW, light $2.33/kgLW, Simmental-cross, $1.75-$1.83/kgLW, Angus cross $1.84-$2.01/kgLW, Limousin cross $1.90/kgLW, Friesian/Hereford-cross $2.31-$2.51/kgLW, Hereford, $2.13-$2.52/kgLW.

Top price of the day, $625, was shared by a pen of 20 Angus steers from Waituruturu Station and 20 Charolais-cross steers sold by K & C Middlemiss.

WAIKATO

Good feed supplies appear to be encouraging finishers to hold on to killable cattle for further weight gain and last Tuesday’s Frankton sale of prime cattle was very small, Cam Heggie of Allied Farmers said.

Per kilogram rates were very consistent for ox and heifers, almost all making $1.80/kgLW and better, while the prime cows tended to make around $1.20-$1.30/kgLW and boners a few cents over $1.00/kgLW.

Ox over 600kg made $1113-$1248, $1.81-$1.85/kgLW, the plainer sorts selling for $734-$800, $1.58-$1.74/kgLW.

The prime heifers, the biggest group, were almost all in the 400-495kg range and those over 450kg made $810-$893, $1.80-$1.84/kgLW. Lots410-444kg fetched $730-$816, $1.76-$1.84/kgLW and one pen at 373kg made $679, $1.82/kgLW.

A 750kg cow went for $900, $1.20/