Cattle fair highlights ‘fantastic’ week at Gisborne saleyards

Matawhero Saleyards hosted three successful sales last week ... a cattle fair, lamb sale and sheep sale. Photo / Gisborne Herald

Stock agents have described prices at Gisborne’s Matawhero saleyards last week as “fantastic”, highlighted by the cattle fair held on Tuesday.

Just over 2000 head were yarded that day and prices for 2-year-old steers rocketed from $2500 up to $3000 for the top cuts.

“Medium sorts all sold above $2000, and the lighter end from $1720,” said Cody Clark of PGG Wrightson.

“The best of the yearling steers maxed out at $2300. Medium types sold from $1500, and the lighter end from $980.”

Clark said the 2-year-old heifers also sold well.

“The best made $3330 in well-finished condition.

“Other top cuts sold from $2190 to $2420, mediums from $1780 and bottom cuts from $1110.

“Yearling heifers flew out the gate from $870 to $1670.”

Cows with calves at foot traded between $1370 and $2210 per unit.

“Yearling bulls sold from $970 to $2300 and averaged $1925 across the board.”

The saleyards hosted the Totangi terminal lambs sale on Thursday with 3308 high-quality head yarded.

“Top cuts were sold [mixed sex] from $151 up to $180, Clark said. “Other cuts sold from $121 to $145.50, with the ewe lambs not far behind at $102 to $137.”

The sales action finished on Friday with 271 head in the weekly sheep sale.

“Prime lambs sold from $160 to $221, ewes topped out at $166, and they were buyable from $151,” Clark said.

“Several lines of ewes with lambs at foot sold from $110 to $130 all counted to top off a fantastic week at the saleyards.”