Feilding prime stock sale

There were only two serious lamb buyers at yesterday's auction.

It was very much a game of two halves in the prime sheep pens at yesterday's Feilding Prime Stock Sale, and the direction was influenced by the number of active buyers operating.

For the prime lamb section there were, in effect, only two serious buyers and sale prices eased but more buyers fired up in the ewe pens and those sale prices were firm to lifting. Half an hour before kick-off, the sheep entry did not appear very large but some late arriving units of sheep lifted numbers right up by start time.

Three massive male lambs from Moore Partnership did sell for $170 but lamb prices were back for all weight ranges, including the more sought after medium weights. Saunders G4 sold a larger line of 143 male lambs for $163 and the two main buyers were able to purchase their numbers without "cutting each other's throat".

Only one of those buyers bought store lambs but another punter chipped away for a few and store lambs did not ease to the extent of the prime lambs adding to the occasional uncertainty of a Monday prime sale.

A couple of ewe buyers missing in recent weeks added their weight to the ewe-buying ranks, and ewe prices increased as a result. By far the majority of the ewes were in the medium weight range with a few more wet-dries on hand and good numbers of dry two-tooths.

Low numbers of cattle worked in the favour of the vendors, however, with all cattle sale prices firm to lifting. The beef steers and heifers on offer were not terribly heavy cattle but sold to firm enquiry and likewise with the cows where the beef cows were around that $2/kg level and the lesser dairy types just a little behind.

No bulls were offered this week.

Sheep (6511): lambs (4175); prime; heavy (1154), 50-70kg, $147-$170, $2.40-$3.00, ease; medium (2312), 37-50kg, $116-$145, $2.75-$3.10, ease; store (709), 22-45kg, $50-$131, $2.30-$3.30, steady; ewes (1,653); good, heavy (141), 26-27kg, $122-$128, $4.70, lift; medium (1298), 21-25kg, $86-$118, $4.10-$4.70, lift; lighter (214), 16-20kg, $58-$84, $3.60-$4.20, lift; 2ths (644), $81-$112; male sheep (39), $40-$58.
Cattle (46): steers (2), 535kg, $1482, $2.77, firm; heifers (12); 520-590kg, $1404-$1522, $2.58-$2.70, firm; lesser sorts, 477-510kg, $958-$1045, $2.00-$2.05; cows (32); good, heavy, 570-650kg, $1174-$1404, $2.06-$2.16, firm; boners, 427-594kg, $794-$1188, $1.86-$2.01, firm; lesser sorts, 370-590kg, $536-$944, $1.45-$1.60.

Manfeild Park Calf Sale

Calf numbers lifted to 170 yesterday after two sales last week of around 100 head and, with a good bench of buyers present, sale prices were very solid.

Bulls: Friesian; good, $200-$250; medium, $140-$185; H/Fr; good, $280-$310; A/Fr; good, $285; Char/Fr; good, $340.

Heifers: H/Fr; good, $200-$240; medium, $140-$155; A/Fr; good, $155-$180.