At the yards: Red-hot annual fair at Maungakaramea

Photo/File

Finally a realistic number of store cattle have come forward to market. Store cattle have been very short at most centres except big entries of feeder calves. Wellsford and Maungakaramea have just been then Houhora and Kauri soon.

Dargaville Sale:

Dargaville on Thursday 7th was mostly feeder calves. Good calves made $220 to $285, then $100 to $200 down to $40 to $90.

Peria:

Peria on September 7th was very light with cows and calves for $1210, then mixed age cows RWB $765 to $980 with weaner bulls $365 and small steers $245.

Maungakaramea Spring Fair:

Just when you thought cattle might not get any dearer - they did. The annual fair at Maungakaramea was red hot. The 1194 cattle was a total clearance sold throughout Northland and yearlings to the Waikato and Te Kuiti. Some lots were $100 up on last year. The quality of most of the offering was very good. Top 2-year steers sold from $1200 to $1545 then $1040 to $1400. Yearling steers sold for $1225 to $1320, then $1050 to $1310 down to $1100 to $1025. Dairy cross yearling steers made $1030 to $1055 then $955 to $980 then $850 to $900 down to $760. Good yearling Angus heifers made $1150 to $1155 then $1020 to $1130, then $925 to $1020. Medium heifers made $825 to $820. Forty four pens made over $1000 and the total sale topped over $1 million; the same as last year.

Wellsford:

The cattle sale at Wellsford was very small but good on Monday 11th. Store heifers made (2.73c-2.74c) then $600 to $705 (3.16c-3.33c), weaner bull made $570 to $775 (2.63c-3.93c).

Tuesday: The store market was better on Tuesday in all grades. Prime steers sold for $1652 (3.06c), prime heifers sold for $1535 to $1540, then $1357 to $1445 (2.71c-3.04c) down to $1036 to $1214 (2.56c-2.76c). In-calf beef cows made $1188 to $1896 (2.20c-2.40c) light cows made $650 to $844 (1.70c-1.98c).

Sheep: Good mixed age ewes made $90 to $105 then $74 to $87. Prime lambs sold for $124 to $154.

Feeder Calves: Good feeder calves sold well, good calves made $220 to $255 down to $200, medium calves fetched $145 to $155 down to $70 to $85 with small calves $40 to $20.

Annual Bull Sales:

Te Atarangi Angus 29th Annual Yearling Bull Sale: Held on the vendor's property south of Te Kopuru on Schick's Road. The sale was a roaring success with a total clearance for the 100 bulls offered. The top bull sold for $6500 and the overall average was $3684 up $658 on last year.

Kaikohe Sale:

With 450 cattle at Kaikohe on Wednesday 13th the market was all over the place from very firm to hard to sell. Good 2-year steers made $1625 for Angus and $1450 to $1590 for Herefords. Angus steers made (3.04c) and Herefords (2.90c-2.98c) and light steers $1100 to $1200 (2.90c). Autumn born Whiteface and Hereford cross steers sold for $895 to $990 (3.15c-3.25c). 1-year steers fetched $750 to $910 for Angus Devon cross and Whiteface (3.40c-3.80c). Whiteface weaner steers made $725 (3.80c) and small Hereford cross $460 to $540. Weaner bulls sold for $550 to $640. Good 2-year heifers made $1015 to $1190 (2.70c-2.80c). 1-year Angus, Angus cross and Hereford weaner heifers made $400 to $450. Ayrshire cows and calves made $1480 down to $1200 to $1300. Friesian cross cows made $760 to $810 (1.70c-1.84c). - Compiled by Brian Sills