Dannevirke has growing market for feeder calves

These speckled park cross heifers topped both NZ Farmer’s Livestock sales over two weeks at $215/head on July 27.

It is pretty early in the season for feeder calves but numbers in the first two NZ Farmers Livestock sales doubled to 50 last week.

A sizeable group of bidders were there to size up the market.

This was matched by a bigger attendance of buyers with more than 20 interested to assess the buying opportunities.

A mixture of breeds were heading to a new home.

Friesian bull calves dominated the numbers at 30 of the 50 calves and averaged $100/head the range depending upon size.

There was a mix of other Friesian X breeds in small numbers at both sales, buyers snapping up Angus cross bulls and heifers at moderate prices, the best Angus reaching $125 per head and three speckled park heifers reaching $215/head.

These speckled park cross heifers topped both NZ Farmer’s Livestock sales over two weeks at $215/head on July 27.

These piedmontese calves sold for $100/head.

One breed sparked some interest – two piedmontese, from the Pyrenees, renowned for their double muscle like a Belgian blue selling for $90/head. Piedmontese have been in NZ in varying numbers since the 1980s.

Clint Worthington of NZ Farmers Livestock.

Livestock agent Clint Worthington says Thursday sales will continue at the Dannevirke A&P Showgrounds with numbers expected to increase dramatically as calving expands and the weather improves.