Feilding store sale: Top hogget prices dip on last week

SOFTER: The market for most sheep eased a little this week. PHOTO/FILE

The swings and roundabouts of the Feilding Prime Sale were at play again yesterday with more than 5000 hoggets too much for the buyers this week.

Whereas last week, the buyers battled it out to buy hoggets, this week their orders were more quickly filled and some of the major buyers left the market sooner.

Consequently, sale prices eased back from last week's levels by up to $5/head and this ease was felt in the top prices.
This week, $148.50 for 26 male hoggets from Woodlands Partnership compared with $151 last week, and for the lighter prime hoggets, this week was down to $111 compared with $116 last week.

Very few pens were ridiculously heavy or way over-prime, but the market definitely softened after last week albeit still at levels to keep attracting sheep into the prime sale.

Store hoggets, naturally, softened in line with the market and may have even been cheaper than last Friday's store sale but that is where they should be.

Ewe sale prices were generally steady on last week with the great majority of the ewes fitting into the medium category.

Some pens offered very woolly ewes, which helped medium ewes sell for prices more expected from heavier types but pre-sale shearing would still return more for the vendor in total.

The cattle offering was of a similar number to last week and the number of buyers was much the same - effectively one.

Local trade schedules have eased, which reflected on good hereford/friesian selling for $2.69/kg (up to $1614) and there were no steers offered.

The cow prices may have even firmed but on such low numbers that might only be wishful thinking.

Three good angus cows sold up to $2/kg ($1114) and the boners made a tad more than last week.

Again, only a couple of bulls came forward.

Sheep (6103): hoggets; prime (4684), 39-60 kg, $111-$148.50, $2.40-$2.85, ease; store (460), 32-42 kg, $85-$118, $2.50-$3.15, ease; ewes (925); good, heavy, 26-30 kg, $84-$101, $3.00-$3.30, steady; medium, 21-25 kg, $59-$85, $3.00-$3.40, steady; lighter, 16-20 kg, $46-$59, $2.80-$3.00, steady; poor, $20-$40; 2ths (10), $86; male sheep (24), $18-$41.

Cattle (59): heifers (17); 480-600 kg, $1291-$1614, $2.69, ease; lesser sorts, 270-430 kg, $447-$841, $1.57-$2.29; cows (40); good, heavy, 557-613 kg, $1114-$1164, $1.89-$2.00, firm; boners, 382-577 kg, $649-$1079, $1.70-$1.87, firm; bulls (2), 450-610 kg, $999-$1586, $2.22-$2.60.

Manfeild Park Calf Sale

Larger numbers of calves came forward yesterday with around 440 offered.

There were good numbers of friesian calves and beef-cross calves resulting in a mainly steady market with up to $350 being paid for hereford/friesian bull calves by one keen punter.

Bulls: Friesian; good, $180-$240; medium, $140-$180; small, $70-$120; tail end, $30-$50; W/F; good, $285-$350; medium, $250-$280; light/medium, $180-$240.
Heifers: W/F; good, $180-$220; medium, $150-$170.