Livestock report: 'Amazing money' at Taranaki sales

PGG Wrightson's Taranaki livestock manager Andrew Gibson updated the market on The Country today.

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Things are “going real good” in Taranaki, with impressive prices at the cattle sales and a great start to winter, says PGG Wrightson’s livestock manager/auctioneer for the region, Andrew Gibson.

“The days are beautiful, the mornings are cold, the grass is still growing; no one’s made any mud,” he told The Country’s Rowena Duncum.

“Most of the guys are underway calving and most guys have got a few in the shed, so, yeah, it’s been a beautiful start to winter.”

Gibson said conditions were dry, especially “south of the mountain”.

“Those boys, they got hit pretty hard with the dry early on in the summer, and they haven’t had any significant moisture to keep them going.”

However, the conditions didn’t cause too much trouble for the region, he said.

“There’s no damage, and the cows are going through the winter breaks and the grass is just coming back really good.

“So, it’s going to set us up pretty well for a perfect spring.”

Meanwhile, the Taranaki Cattle Fair took place in Stratford this week.

The sale, which happens monthly, was “through the roof” with a “really top line-up” from the Forsyth family, Gibson said.

They had purebred Angus steers and heifers at around 450 to 500kg and made an average of $3.95 per kg for the 100 cattle they sold.

“Which is just amazing money.”

Gibson said the cattle were so sought after that buyers had travelled from Feilding to “have a crack”.

He said it was good to see a strong market as there was a cattle shortage.

“Hopefully that feeds into the calf sales as we start them next week.”

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Speaking of Feilding, Gibson said there were “massive numbers” at the sale last week.

“There’s been a few awesome photos of the trucks lined up by sides of the street — they just about shut Feilding down.”

The sheep market was “on the move a fraction” which was good news,

“They’ve hung on to them a fair while now, so hopefully they start getting a little bit more return in the pocket, which they need.”

The store market and beef were “really, really strong” at Feilding, which Gibson hoped would continue until at least October, if not the rest of the year.

As for works sales, they were also short of cattle, which Gibson said fed into sale yard pricing.

“Supply and demand — there’s a bit of competition with various works buyers ripping in and trying to get prime cattle and cull cows at the sale yards, which is obviously just pushing that price up.

“Like anything, man, — supply and demand. If you put them in the right place, you’re going to get rewarded.”

As a result, Gibson said the sale yard pricing was “well above” works prices.