Store lamb numbers are starting to taper off as more buyers enter the market, and the 1400 offered could easily have sold several times over. Line sizes were small so there was a good number of pens to sell. Two male lines sold for $90-$98, while per head budgets meant that $/kg climbed significantly through the mixed sex pens as the weights reduced, with some light-medium lines managing $90. Good to heavy lambs sold for $89-$113, while medium types made $89-$98. Light lambs traded at $68-$90.
The flow of lambs to the processors has ebbed which in turn is increasing demand in the prime pens at sale yards. The top lambs today made $165-$175, with most of the trading happening around the $110-$160 level.
Ewe volume was consistent with recent weeks and so too were prices, though the top line made $270. Good and heavy ewes traded at $150-$195, with medium and medium-good types returning $120-$148. Light ewes still reached good levels of $81-$117, while 2-tooths mainly sold for $114-$115.
The prime cattle market needed little encouragement from the weather as low supplies and firming schedules strengthen the market, though forward stores certainly benefited.
Heavy prime steers, 600kg plus of any breed traded at $2.85-$3.05/kg. The forward store market was strong throughout and traditional and traditional-cross, 542-619kg, easily made $3.00-$3.08/kg, with Hereford-Friesian, 460-566kg, also in the money at $3.00-$3.12/kg. Most other beef-Friesian traded at $2.93-$3.01/kg.
Extra buying power in the local trade heifer market meant that a number of lines were not far behind the steers. Heavy lines traded at $2.80-$2.90/kg, and local trade types, 490-558kg, $2.92-$3.02/kg, with purchasing done to service the North Island domestic market. Very few lines sold outside of this range.
As has been the norm lately the right types of bulls made values similar to the steers at $2.87-$3.06/kg, while cows were mainly heavy type beef and range from $2.03-$2.38/kg.
Local demand heightened with each raindrop and the yarding of 320 store cattle was easily absorbed as a grass market emerged. The majority of the better lines of both R2 steers and heifers sold in excess of $3.00/kg, which is not unusual for the steers, but was a fantastic result for heifers.
Angus and Angus-Hereford R2 steers, 333-469kg, made $3.15-$3.26/kg, with a second cut line earning $3.05/kg. Hereford-Friesian, 350-458kg, fetched $2.98-$3.09/kg, though were bettered by the lighter weights at $3.13-$3.23/kg.
A consignment of Charolais-cross heifers sold exceptionally well, with the top line at 327kg making $3.43/kg, and second cut $3.23/kg. Hereford-Friesian and Hereford, 350-364kg, earned $3.03-$3.12/kg, while even Friesian had a keen following as 329-346kg were picked up for fattening at $2.36-$2.39/kg.
The demand continued into the weaner pens, though there were a few lines of Jersey and crossbred that were hard to shift.
