Paddock prices ease for North Island cattle

Demand for heavier cattle is waning since schedules have eased and the strong NZ dollar has knocked confidence. 450kg 2year steers are more like $2.30/kg in the paddock, while heifers are generally $2.10-2.20/kg dependent on weight. More spring Friesian bull calves 100kg lwt are coming on the market now. Prices in the North Island generally range from $420/hd to $450/hd. The upper price range can be seen in regions such as HB, Te Kuiti, Waikato and Northland.

Throughput back at saleyards

Store cattle numbers were back on last week with much smaller sales at Canterbury Park and Rangiuru and no sale at Temuka, though Matawhero held it's monthly sale and had nearly 1900 mainly yearlings for sale.

The Stortford sale was all about forward traditional 2 year cattle with some annual drafts bringing a good number of buyers to the rostrum. Traditional steers traded at $2.32 – 2.52/kg, with similar prices recorded at Matawhero. 27 well grown Angus heifers sold for $1,020/hd or $2.26/kg. There was a slightly reduced yarding of cattle at Feilding with 680 on offer, with almost even numbers in the 2 year and yearling pens. Overall prices firmed for most sections on a market underpinned by lack of numbers, though 2 year heifers remained steady. Most traditional and exotic 2 year steers traded between $2.55 – 2.60/kg.

Yearlings fill saleyards

Graphic 3Yearlings filled most pens at other sales though quality and condition are very mixed around the country with a large amount of dairy influence coming through at Wellsford, Rangiuru and Frankton. 700 yearling steers and over 500 heifers were on offer at Matawhero and prices were steady to firm on other sales around the country. Traditional and exotic good framed forward steers were making an estimated $2.60 – 3.00/kg with some lines selling over $1,000/hd. Heifers were making $2.20 – 2.35/kg. Hereford/Friesian cross steers were selling for $2.70 – 2.79/kg at Rangiuru while heifers of the same breed sold for $2.50 – 2.61/kg at Wellsford. Frankton's market was steady to firm overall as grass is finally on the move. Hereford/Friesian cross showed it's dominance in the area with these steers selling for a premium over other breeds. Frankton had 90 yearling bulls which sold for $2.82 – 3.03/kg for 218 – 303kgs. Angus and Charolais dominated the yearling steer and heifer section at Feilding. Charolais cross heifers 270 – 325kgs made $2.73/kg which bettered their brothers of the same weight with these making $2.43/kg.