Thursday, March 28, 2024

ACROSS THE RAILS: First big week of weaner fairs

Avatar photo
The North Island weaner fair market booted back into life after a year’s hiatus. The odd teaser sale had been held the week before, but a few significant yards last week has given everyone the much-awaited benchmark to crack on with trading.
Reading Time: 3 minutes

The story at all sales was very similar, as low confidence in the wider market kept expectations muted. But results mainly exceeded expectations, the heavier exotic heifers potentially the strongest of the lot.

The Auckland lockdown, while a nuisance, hasn’t caused much damage to sales in the upper-North Island. For instance, the Tuakau beef weaner fair was able to be relocated to the Frankton yards, and potential buyers were able to either bid online or sort the necessary paperwork ahead of time to travel in.

Frankton Beef Weaner Fair, March 1

A good quality yarding of 705 weaners were penned at Frankton last Monday. The local buying bench had good online competition from both South and North Auckland, with annual draft lines well-contested. Prices were solid on the heifers, though a market adjustment was made for most bulls and steers.

Good-sized lines of Angus steers, 200-235kg, sold for $625-$695, and, while similar, 165-190kg pens were $585-$600.

Herefords dominated the bull section and the large numbers meant vendors had to adjust their expectations and meet the market. The top end, 280-290kg, sold well enough at $1100-$1180, with 220-235kg making $710-$800 and 180-205kg, usually $635-$670.

Heifers sold at steady-to-improving levels. Heavy Simmental-cross at 285-310kg sold for $750-$780, while 190-220kg traditional types mainly sold for $585-$650. Two large lines of 170-175kg Angus received $530-$545.

Stortford Weaner Steer Fair, March 2

Almost 1600 weaner steers were yarded at Stortford Lodge last Tuesday. Results were viewed as positive, though expectations were subdued going into the sale. 

Around three-quarters of the yarding were traditionally bred. Buyers appeared to work off per head buying bands for these – 250-280kg lines were $850-$900 and 220-245kg made $750-$800. The lighter steers were quite strong selling as 190-210kg sold for $650-$720.

Top-end exotics sold well, but the medium-to-lighter end were discounted a little compared to the traditional options. Typically 265-290kg exotic steers made $890-$950, followed by 230-260kg at $780-$840, with all but one pen of 205-230kg going for $645-$720.

Stortford Weaner Heifer and Bull Fair, March 3

Just over 1110 weaner bulls and heifers were penned at Stortford Lodge last Wednesday, with plenty of quality throughout the offering. Local buyers had competition from agents with orders from further north.

The sale started with a small selection of bulls. A single line of 37 Simmental-cross at 260kg accounted for almost half of these, selling for $905, or $3.45/kg.

Top exotic heifers, 275-290kg, sold for $840, with the mid-range types, 225-260kg, making $640-$715. A few 195-210kg pens were $545-$580. The traditional heifers sold for quite even per head prices – for instance, basically all 200-255kg pens were $605-$650. The lighter lines, 175-195kg, were $510-$575.

Colville Weaner Fair, March 3

Just over 500 cattle were penned at Colville last Wednesday, with a good turnout of buyers, as some new faces replaced regulars that could not make it due to current lockdown conditions. A successful day was completed with both vendors and buyers happy with the outcome from the family-owned sale yard that’s still servicing their rural area.

Top weaner bulls at 260-280kg returned $1200, with the 200-260kg cut trading for $900-$1085. The middle section, 180-210kg, were harder work at $675-$760. Top weaner steers at 260-280kg fetched $930. There was plenty of quality in the heifer pens, with Herefords particularly well-contested and all stayed in local hands. Weaner heifers earned $500-$790.

Southern Man 18-month Steer Sale, March 3

There were over 800 traditional steers on offer at the first day of the Southern Man 18-month steer sale at Lorneville last Wednesday. Traditional steers in the 320-380kg weight range stuck close to the $2.60/kg price tag, although a couple of Hereford-based pens sold for as low at $2.42/kg.

The heavier 380-430kg steers were in the pricing sweet-spot, selling consistently at $2.70-2.80/kg, while steers over 430kg averaged $2.50/kg. There were 200 Charolais and Simmental steers too, these sold for $2.50-$2.70/kg, with no clear pattern across the 385-485kg weight range.

Tuakau Beef Weaner Fair, March 4

The temporary closure of the Tuakau yards meant the annual beef weaner fair was shifted down the road to Frankton last Thursday. The sale housed 1100 mainly straight-beef weaners. The market was solid throughout, the heifers viewed as the strongest selling section.

A few of the heavier traditional steers, 245-270kg, sold for $770-$830, but the majority were lighter weight. Those tipping the scales at 215-230kg made $650-$720, while the 160-195kg bracket were mostly $610-$640. The exotic steers were almost exclusively Charolais-Angus, the top-end of these were 305-325kg, making $1020. Others were good selling too, with 260-300kg selling at $905-$930, and 235-260kg making $780-$845.

Exotic lines were the highlight of the heifers. A narrow band of $645-$705 covered the core of these, that is 205-260kg lines. A few 265-290kg pens were $750-$800 and those 175-200kg made $560-$605. Traditional heifers were mostly 135-180kg, selling for $475-$580. A few 185-220kg pens received $580-$645.

Total
0
Shares
People are also reading