A yarding of just under 1840 prime lambs were penned last Monday but were matched by a big gallery of buyers.
A line of very heavy male lambs topped their section at $230, and very heavy cryptorchid sold to $220. The majority of male and cryptorchid lines were good to heavy types and were firm at $170-$189, while the lion’s share of ram lines were also heavy types and managed strong returns at $190-$208.
Heavy mixed sex lines lifted to $160-$187, as did ewe lambs to $198. Heavy lines lifted to $163-$194.50, and good to very good, $145-$162.
Ewe throughput halved though there was still plenty of quality. The market was steady for most though the top end eased. Two-tooth ewes were firm at $125.50-$158, as were 2-4-tooth lines at $137-$151.
Very heavy mixed age ewes eased to $170.50, but the majority of the yarding made steady returns with heavy types earning $151-$154, medium $129-$130.50, and lighter, $110-$116.
No prime cattle were penned.
The first decent yarding of ewes with lambs-at-foot broke records last Wednesday. Romney ewes with multiple lambs sold for $122-$124.50 all counted and single lines, $115-$117.
There was no let-up in lamb numbers with 5700 penned. The better end made steady returns but medium to good types were variable. The heavy end of all sexes traded at $170-$176, with little difference in price for ewe lambs. A very heavy line of ram lambs made a record $209. Medium-good males were steady to easing at $151-$168, while ewe lambs of same type eased to $136-$159. Lighter lines sold for $120-$131. Mixed sex were mainly wether and ewe lambs from the Chatham’s and traded at $145-$169.
A medium yarding of store cattle sold to solid demand. R3 Angus-cross steers, 522kg, made $3.01/kg, and R2 heifers, 431-452kg, $2.92-$2.94/kg. Longer term beef-cross heifers were a mix of Angus, Hereford and Simmental and at 341-384kg sold for $3.03/kg and $3.21/kg.
R1 cattle dominated and buyers proved to be a competitive bunch. Angus steers stayed local and better types, 303-317kg, sold for $1150-$1230, while Angus and Angus & Angus-Hereford, 228-232kg, fetched $945-$1105, $4.16-$4.22/kg.
A consignment of Hereford-Simmental steers and heifers were offered due to a farm sale. The steers, 245-290kg, made solid returns at $970-$1020, and heifers 256kg, $825.
A good portion of the younger cattle were autumn-born, including an annual draft of Angus steers and heifers. A local buyer took home the two bigger lines of heifers, 153-178kg, for $600-$665. The one line of steers offered came in at 142kg and sold for $625.