Nothing much has happened from last week except that it feels a bit more like winter.
The average local rainfall this week is 40mm. Although cattle are still selling well, there has been a reasonable fall in values at all centres.
Dargaville Sale:
Dargaville went pretty well again on Thursday May 11 with a total clearance. Good 2-year steers made $1370 to $1445, then $1000 to $1120. 18-month steers fetched $1300 to $1365, then $1140 to $1230 down to $950. Good weaner steers made $885 to $1040.
Weaner bulls made $830 to $920 down to $600. 2-year heifers sold for $1030 and 18-month heifers $1005 to $1075, then $900 to $980 down to $805. Weaner heifers made $1070 to $1130 and light heifers $515 to $545. Weaner heifers fetched $790 to $862 down to $550. Dargaville had about $255 mixed cattle and 147 feeder calves. Good feeder calves sold for $300 to $340 then, $220 to $280 with mediums $150 to $200 with light calves $80 to $150.
Peria Sale:
Peria had a good little entry of about 200 head on Thursday May 11. Although most of the cattle sold, the market was definitely easier. 2-year Friesian cross steers made $1000 to $1100. Medium weaner steers made $600 to $700 and mid-$500 to $600-plus.
Murray Grey weaner bulls sold for $600 to $650. Good 2-year Charolais heifers made $1419 and Angus heifers $1200 with Short Horn heifers $900. Weaner heifers sold for $620 with light heifers $600 to $680, empty Friesian cows sold for $700 to $800, beef cows $800 to $900 to $1000, heifers and calves sold for $1000.
Wellsford Sale:
Wellsford had their usual good entry on Monday May 15 with 40 pens of steers and a market that is starting to ease. Good 20-month steers made $1415 to $1465 (2.82c-3.12c) down to $312 to $278 then (2.67c-3.03c) and $278 to $200.
Weaner steers made $755 to $810 (3.35c-4.73c) down to $500 to $580 (2.70c-2.79c). Good prime cows made $995 (1.94c) then $1000 to $1130 (2.70c-2.80c). Weaner heifers made $430 to $630 (2.18c-3.71c).
Kauri Sale:
As the store cattle numbers increase the feeder calf numbers decrease as autumn calving comes to an end. Most of the 250 store cattle and 213 feeder calves sold well enough with the odd hiccup. 2-year cross bred steers sold for $1395 to $1470 and Angus cross steers made $1215.
18-month Charolais cross steers made $1130 and Whiteface steers $1085 to $1130, then $930 to $1035. Hereford cross steers made $910 to $1000. 15-month bulls made $780. 1-year steers sold for $810 to $855.
Angus cross weaner steers made $690 to $755 and Whiteface steers $705 to $800. Murray Grey cross steers made $615 to $680 down to $485. Weaner bulls fetched $420 to $530.
Top 18-month heifers made $1330, then $870 to $970. Medium 1-year heifers made $605 to $660, then $500 to $585 down to $460 to $495. Good feeder calves made $300 to $345, then $220 to $285 and light calves $150 to $180 and small calves $50 to $105.
Kaikohe Sale:
The market at Kaikohe on Wednesday May 17 was much the same as the previous week with good cattle selling well and plain cattle a real struggle. Heavy beef cross 30-month steers made $1565 (2.82c) then $1300 to $1625 (2.73c-2.84c) then several lots made $1050 to $1205 (2.63c-3.23c) down to $870 to $920 (2.23c-2.63c).
Good 20-month steers fetched $1200 (2.85c) down to $900 for Whiteface and Hereford cross (2.70c). Angus Simmental and Limousin Angus weaner steers made $730 to $850 (3.50c-3.80c) and light steers $640 to $725 (2.83c-3.91c).
Heavy bulls made $1370 to $1425 (2.85c-2.94c) then $900 to $1010 (3.22c-4.40c). Weaner bulls made $780 to $850 (3.10c-3.39c) and light bulls $550 to $765 (3.10c-3.50c) and small bulls $340 to $465 (2.51c-3.71c). 20-month bulls fetched $1220 to $1320 (2.80c-2.88c).
Heavy heifers made $94 to $1010 (2.72c-2.23c) then $685 to 860 (2.42c-2.62c) down to Hereford and Angus cross and Limousin Angus heifers $500 to $650 (3.00c-3.40c), light heifers made $240 to $500 (2.38c-3.03c).
Cows and calves made $1490 (4.55c) heavy cows made $900 to $960 (1.58c-1.87c). VIC Friesian cows sold for $850 to $920 (1.69c-1.70c). Empty cows made $725 to $870 (1.69c-2.18c) down to $640 (1.49c). 100 ex Friesian dairy heifers sold for $400 to $470.
Compiled by Brian Sills