Old season lamb prices are easing in keeping with the season winding down. Good store lambs managed to hold value at $140-$155, but medium and light lines lost $8-$10 to trade at $120-$130 and $105-$115 respectively.
A similar pattern occurred in the prime lamb pens where heavy lines remained at $170-$190 but medium lines eased to $155-$165 and lighter, $140-$152. Ewes however continued their consistent run and top lines fetched $165-$185, medium $140-$160 and light, $120-$138. Lesser sorts earned $90-$110 and rams $60-$90.
The cattle pens were busy with a medium yarding of prime cattle and good sized offering of store and feeder calves. Prime beef-cross steers, 500-510kg, earned $2.98-$3.00/kg, while heifers, 430-460kg, made $2.70-$2.76/kg. Heavy cows, 500kg plus, held value at $2.00-$2.10/kg, though 450-500kg eased to $1.80-$1.90/kg. Those 400-450kg also eased to $1.50/kg.
Good returns for quality two-year steers meant Hereford-cross, 413kg, made $3.26/kg, and Friesian of similar weight were adequate at $2.80/kg. Yearling prices eased as Hereford-cross steers, 251kg, made $2.94/kg, and heifers, 225kg, $2.80/kg. Bulls of same breeding and 252kg were the bestselling at $3.01/kg.
Demand for 10-day old, quality beef-cross calves was high but the remainder of the section struggled. Good Hereford-Friesian bulls made $240 and medium $120. Angus-cross bulls sold to $120, while the top Friesian bulls made just $80. Good heifers met very limited interest and sold for $60.
