Thousands of lambs sold at Feilding sale

Over a couple of thousand lambs were sold at this sale which is the most for the season to date.

The better sale prices of last week could not be sustained with these numbers and the lamb prices were equivalent to a kilogram cheaper or around $5/head.

As could be expected, there are very good spring lambs being put up for sale but the lamb market is suffering some general malaise.

"Waimanawa" topped the lamb market with 29 blackface lambs at $119 and these lambs were a kilo or two heavier than what that same money would have bought last week even with the usual buyers operating.

Store lamb prices were also behind last week but are dear enough if schedules tumble in coming weeks and yesterday's prices may look plenty in hindsight.

Ewe numbers were about 1500 fewer than last week and these sheep are still selling to good demand.

The sale prices for the medium and the heavier ewes were fully firm with the odd pen of grazing ewes dragging the chain a little but these lighter ewes were basically steady.

Once again, wool is not interesting the buyers.

Thirteen pens of cattle were put up which included only one heifer and no steers were offered.

The cows on offer where generally in good order and sold accordingly with 15 Hereford/Friesians at $2.10/kg; 11 Angus cows and 1 Charolais cross at $2.09/kg; and 3 good Friesian cows at $2.07/kg.

These are good cents/kg levels.

Two good Angus bulls both sold for $3.04/kg.

Sheep (4,805): lambs (2,066); prime (1,785), 35-48 kg, $90-$119, $2.40-$2.80, ease; store (281), 24-33 kg, $51-$88, $2.15-$2.65, ease; ewes (2,681); good, heavy, 26-30 kg, $84-$96, $3.00-$3.30, firm; medium, 21-25 kg, $64-$83, $3.00-$3.30, firm; lighter, 16-20 kg, $40-$60, $2.60-$3.00, steady; 2ths (13), $71-$80; male sheep (21), $34-$55.
Cattle (41): heifer (1), 470 kg, $1222, $2.60; cows (38); good, heavy, 506-680 kg, $962- $1421, $1.85-$2.10, firm; boners, 423-540 kg, $736-$1015, $1.74-$1.88, steady; bulls (2), 820-850 kg, $2493-$2584, $3.04, firm.