25 No fart tax says Bennett Vol 16 No 18, May 8, 2017
farmersweekly.co.nz
Prices ‘smoking hot’ Alan Williams alan.williams@nzx.com
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OUTH Island vendors are an average $150 to $200 an animal better off this year than last after a stellar weaner calf sale season. North Island activity was also very strong with major sales venue Feilding putting high tallies through at markedly improved prices. The main South Island season ended with the Canterbury Park sales on Thursday and it was probably the strongest of any, PGG Wrightson South Island livestock manager Shane Gerken said. “It was the last traditional sale of the season and the last opportunity for many buyers to top up their number so there was a lot of competition.” Heavier steers, 220kg to 280kg, made $4.40/kg to $4.50/kg and lighter steers even higher at more than $5. “Those prices were an exception rather than the rule but over the season the average was still very strong,” Gerken said. He thought the South Island average for steers was in the $4.40 to $4.50 range. That compared with an average $3.70/kg to $3.80/ kg last year. As well as the price gain, excellent recent pasture growth in many cattle-raising areas meant stock were 10kg to 20kg heavier so the all-up returns left vendors very happy, he said. Generally, there is a 30c/kg to 40c/kg gap to weaner heifers but that gap was on average lower this
READY TO ROLL: Randall Aspinall with his cattle before the sale at Mt Aspiring Station.
year with prices $4.20/kg to $4.30. Wrightson’s North Island livestock manager Tom Mowat said the sale season was a fantastic one, starting strongly in Northland “and getting better and better”. “We’re at the tail-end and it’s still going. There will be some very delighted vendors and some
nervous buyers hoping values stay up.” NZX Agri analyst Reece Brick said 12,700 weaner cattle were sold through at Feilding, the highest tally in several years and up from 11,900 last year with vendors taking home an average $1000 an animal, up from $810 last year. The main sale season
also finished last week. Average prices were about $4.55/kg, up from $3.80/kg with weights up about 7kg. In line with the established trend, heavier animals sold better early in the season and lighter stock better as the season went on.
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There will be some very delighted vendors and some nervous buyers hoping values stay up. Tom Mowat PGG Wrightson
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