News from New Zealand's export lamb markets seems to be as unpredictable as the local spring weather at present with some positive signs mixed in with negative sentiment.
That weather is causing big problems with lamb vendors as spring lambs are simply not developing in the conditions leading to big difficulties for those wishing to draft lambs for slaughter.
It is also keeping a cap on lambs offered for sale through this market.
The low numbers at the Feilding Prime Sale yesterday encouraged a lift in sale prices by as much as $5/head. Top money yesterday was $125.25 for 40 lambs from Stratheden with Londair Ltd selling the day's heaviest 59 lambs for $125.
The slightly lighter lambs enjoyed the biggest firming and the store lambs were firm also and firmer than last Friday's store sale. One pen of 62 shorn Romney ewe hoggets sold for $124 but these were definitely suitable for inclusion in a breeding flock.
On arrival, the saleyards resembled a ewe fair but, after tallying the numbers, ewe entries were a couple of hundred less than last week at just over 4000 but the number of pens had increased.
With a little switching from lambs to ewes by some buyers and the usual operators in action, this ewe market was right up to last week and even a little firmer at times. By far, most ewes were graded as medium having reared a lamb or two and more are presenting shorn.
Cattle numbers increased but off a very low base from last week, mostly being extra cows. Even 5 steers were offered this week, these being local trade weighted Hereford/Friesians that sold for $1274 ($2.80) which seemed reasonable and better than the heifers around the same weight.
The boner cows lifted above the virtually non-existent market of the last couple of weeks and the good cows went above $2/kg again with one big Ayrshire cow selling for $1419 ($2.01).
Only one bull this week, an Ayrshire, which sold for $2360 ($2.81).
Sheep (5,071): lambs (832); prime (769), 36-50 kg, $91-$125.25, $2.50-$3.00, lift; store (63), 26-32 kg, $70-$91, $2.70-$3.00, firm; hoggets (171), $37-$124; ewes (3,999); good, heavy, 26-35 kg, $84-$105, $3.00-$3.30, firm; medium, 21-25 kg, $60-$81, $2.85-$3.25, firm; lighter, 16-20 kg, $41-$61.50, $2.60-$3.10, firm; 2ths (24), $44-$71; male sheep (45), $31-$82.
Cattle (49): steers (5), 455 kg, $1274, $2.80; heifers (5), 400-495 kg, $960-$1269, $2.40-$2.59; cows (38); good, heavy, 493-706 kg, $1025-$1419, $1.91-$2.01; boners, 395-550 kg, $667-$1050, $1.69-$1.91, lift; lesser sorts, 270-380 kg, $348-$577, $1.29-$1.55; bull (1), 840 kg, $2360, $2.81.