A consignment of nearly 700 halfbred station lambs from Hawarden was the highlight in the store lamb pens and enticed more buyers out of the woodwork. Lines were chased for their wool as well as meat and also working in their favour was the quality of breeding, with the top line of ewe lambs selling for just that at $118. Other lines were either ewe, wether or a mix of both and the second cut sold for $95, with the remainder making $58-$78. The balance of the yarding was mixed in size but strong demand for all types resulted in a firm market. Nearly 1300 sold for $100-$114, with similar numbers making $70-$98.
A smaller prime lamb section repeated the previous week’s performance, with regular buyers paying similar money. Most were medium to heavy prime at $120-$168, with very heavy types up to $160-$176.
Ewe numbers increased but that had little effect on prices, with a firm tone to the market. Better sorts sold for $$150-$187, with the balance making $110-$149. Two lines of breeding ewes sold well, with the top annual draft line achieving $174.
Big consignments swelled store cattle numbers and while the traditional lines sold to keen interest, the fact that the R2 Hereford-Friesian numbers were high but they were not advertised so there was limited numbers of buyers to absorb the extras.
R2 Angus steers were the highlight, selling for $3.05-$3.13/kg for 364-417kg, which pushed the top line to $1270. Their Angus-cross paddock mates, 359-394kg, sold at a discounted $2.69-$2.70/kg, which was also where similar weighted Hereford-Friesian sat, though the lighter end at 331-361kg did manage $2.74-$2.84/kg. Their sisters also sold on a softer market as 305-339kg returned $2.56-$2.65/kg. Friesian bulls of same age and 459kg made $2.53/kg.
Just one line of weaner steers was offered but was a quality pen of Angus at 203kg. Bids flowed freely to $760, while their sisters had more weight at 220kg and fetched $810.
A big consignment of crossbred bulls and Hereford-Friesian heifers came in from Telford with the better bulls, 161-165kg, trading at $534-$490, while lighter types made $210-$380. Most Friesian bulls sold for $400-$450, and Hereford-Friesian heifers, 141-146kg, $530-$550.
The prime market was softer than recent weeks with most steers trading at $2.79-$2.90/kg, and beef heifers at similar values for lighter weights. Dairy heifers sold for $2.20-$2.64/kg, while most bulls made $2.60-$2.67/kg.
Good beef cows and the heavy Friesian lines sold up to $1.90-$2.10/kg, though most dairy cows weighed in at 448-538kg and made $1.76-$1.88/kg.
