At the Stratford calf sale on August 5 over 440 calves were penned and prices reflected other markets. Top Friesian bulls made $100-$130, medium $80-$95 and small, $50-$75. Hereford-Friesian reached $210-$300 and medium, $100-$190. Beef-cross bull calves varied from $50 for Speckle Park-cross up to $210 for Angus-cross. Hereford-Friesian heifers reached $70-$150 and the balance sold for $40-$50. Red Hereford-Friesian returned $10-$50 and beef-cross, $35-$105.
The market was flat at Hawera on Monday and Friesian bulls averaged $75, Hereford-Friesian $200 and Speckle Park-cross, $100.
Entries at the Frankton feeder calf sale numbered an impressive 1356 on Tuesday. The best Friesian bulls made $140-$205, while the top Hereford-Friesian managed $230-$260. Medium pens of these breeds were $70-$100 and $170-$200 respectively. Hereford-Friesian heifers made $70-$190 for the most part while Angus-Friesian were $40-$90.
The Friesian bull market collapsed after 10 pens were sold at Manfield Park on Thursday, where 414 were on the books. Some sold after the sale and just two pens exceeded $100 with most $50-$80. One pen of Hereford-Friesian bulls made $310, but the balance followed the Friesian bulls and came back. Most good types traded at $100-$150 followed by medium and small at $40-$80. Angus-cross sold for $40-$135. A handful of top dairy-beef heifers reached $100-$165 before the market dropped away to $50-$73 and $30 for small calves.
This article was written by AgriHQ analyst Suz Bremner. Suz leads the AgriHQ LivestockEye team, including data collectors who are tasked with being on the ground at sale yards throughout the country. Subscribe to AgriHQ reports here.
