Rains cause livestock volumes to ease

Numbers are easing but the livestock market is still red hot for both cattle and sheep. Photo / Supplied

All good things must come to an end and with the rain comes an easing in record-breaking numbers through the saleyards.

Whanganui livestock commentator David Cotton said with 230mm of rain on his Kai Iwi farm during April and more in some parts of the region, livestock numbers through the Feilding saleyards and the markets had to ease.

"Not that I'm saying the market is poor, far from it, the market is still red hot but just come off the highs of two to three weeks ago," Mr Cotton said.

There are a few of us still around that remember the halcyon days of local saleyards.

"The first signs of a market easing came via the amount of emails and texts I received from other livestock agents that all of a sudden have 'for sale' at the start of their message, something that was virtually unheard of a couple of weeks ago. Sure enough, come Friday the Feilding market was back both in sheep and cattle prices.

David Cotton takes a nostalgic trip back to his youth and days at the Fordell saleyards.

"It's also May and that is often the trigger point for many hill-country farmers to start unloading surplus livestock and head down to their wintering numbers.

The short weeks of Easter and Anzac always help the meat companies with supply, along with the weather forcing cattle out in large numbers. Space is tight for cattle for the first time this season, bringing the schedule price back. The question is how long will this last."

That prompted Mr Cotton to think back to his younger days working out at the Fordell saleyards.

"Starting at 4.30am yarding with a of 30,000 ewes and the many characters that frequented the sale every week - Ernie Rhodes to name just one as there are too many to name.

"But there are a few of us still around that remember the halcyon days of local saleyards. Harvey Falloon, Ian Ellen, and of course Bruce Bristol were there every week. Local livestock and news would be traded and yarns spun.

"It did not matter what time the sale finished, we always finished our day at the Fordell Hotel, even if the winter sales finished at 1pm. Tony Herbert on the pool table with Brian Kerslake and Andy Finlayson playing cards - all good things must come to an end.

"I have read a couple of articles recently about the selling of livestock via online auctions and direct sales. It has always surprised me how slow the uptake from the farming community has been with this technology. There may be a few of you that remember Rob Gollan and I starting up Stock Net about 20 years ago.

"In the first three weeks of operation one of the major livestock companies offered us $250,000 for the company. Hindsight is a wonderful thing. We should have taken the money, but I thought there was so much more upside (sorry Rob) in the business and that farmers would quickly see the major financial benefit of moving livestock directly between farms, saving on freight, commission and yard fees.

Also the shrinkage of weight that takes place with cattle standing in the yards for 4-6 hours before they are sold.

"I must admit this is not the first time in my life I was completely wrong and to be fair probably not the last time."

However, it did not surprise Mr Cotton that 20 years on no one has yet cracked online livestock trading, even Trade Me only has a small presence in the market.

"I congratulate farmers with the outstanding gains that have been made behind the farm gate - lambing percentages, the average carcass weight of lambs today must be up over 50 per cent on 30 years ago from 13kg to 20kg.

But I watch truck and trailer loads of livestock head north to be killed and the same truck and trailer coming back loaded with livestock to be killed down south.

"In parts of the region the same can be said for livestock heading to the saleyards to be sold then trucked back to the same area they came from.

"This is not a criticism of the agents that work long and hard in the saleyards, they are providing an excellent service. I'm just questioning the efficiency of our industry." ¦