Prime lambs sell well, numbers down at Feilding

Prime lamb prices held up at yesterday's sale to match last week's stores demand.

Any thoughts that the store lamb market was getting well ahead of the prime lamb market after Friday's store sale was quickly dispelled at the very first prime sale following when yesterday's prime lamb sale prices took another sizable lift.

The entries in yesterday's Feilding Prime Stock Sale were well below what has become normal for some weeks now - only 2078 lambs were offered.

Almost all of them were prime lambs, with only five store lambs, and about one third of the lamb yarding sold at or above $120/head.

Mrs Amanda Howie earned bragging rights over her husband when she sold 15 lambs for $129 to top the sale.

Bakerscrossing Farms Ltd and IJ Sutherland both sold pens for $127.

The end of the shipping deadline for the Easter chilled lamb market did not drive prices down and they firmed further as the sale progressed.

The number of lambs available for slaughter is becoming a guess.

Ewes also firmed further. Many vendors are now receiving more for their cull ewes than they did for their breeding ewes at the breeding ewe fairs earlier which is not ideal from the point of view of declining sheep numbers.

Substantially more cattle, especially cows, arrived for sale this week than last which helped attract more buyers in and sale prices in all sections firmed.

Ferndene Land Co sold two good Angus steers for $2117 ($2.90) which is the best prime cents/kg for a while.

The best heifer, a Hereford/Friesian cross, exceeded $2.70/kg. All cow prices improved with up to $1.91/kg for the best Friesian boner.

The bulls were mostly service bulls and sold to firm demand with one Angus/Friesian weaner bull selling for $508 ($3.91).

Sheep (3881): lambs (2,078); prime (2,073), 38-55 kg, $93-$129, $2.25-$2.50, lift; store (5), 36 kg, $88, $2.45; ewes (1,679); good, heavy, 26-30 kg, $91-$107, $3.30-$3.60, lift; medium, 21-25 kg, $74-$89, $3.30-$3.55, lift; lighter, 16-20 kg, $50-$68, $3.10-$3.40, lift; 2ths (89), $74-$86; male sheep (35), $55-$99.

Cattle (82): steers (2), 730 kg, $2117, $2.90, lift; heifers (17), 330-610 kg, $696-$1653, $1.99-$2.71, lift; cows (44); good, heavy, 460-580 kg, $846-$1107, $1.84-$1.91, lift; boners, 340-532 kg, $540-$1000, $1.59-$1.88, lift; lesser sorts, 290 kg, $359, $1.24; bulls (19), 130-940 kg, $508-$2133, $2.01-$3.91.

Feilding Calf Sale: Monday, February 27

Over 30 early-season, week-old calves were yarded to very strong demand.

Bulls: Friesian, $260-$330; Hereford/Friesian, $320-$350.
Heifers; Hereford/Friesian, $325.