This week’s weaner bull, steer, and heifer fairs with stock from Masterton and Martinborough were sellouts, with 2800 cattle sold over two days.
On Tuesday at the Masterton Saleyards, PGG Wrightson had 605 weaner steers and 125 weaner bulls in the sale, while Carrfields had 860 weaner steers and 27 weaner bulls.
The maximum price for PGG’s weaner steers fetched was $970, the minimum was $590, and the average was $805.
PGG’s maximum price for weaner bulls was $925, the average was $816, and the minimum price was $370.
Carrfields sold all its stock of 887 cattle, with a top price of $1040 and a second top price of $1000, while its weaner bulls earned a high of $690 and low of $385.
On Wednesday, 900 weaner heifers were on the block.
Carrfields sold 615 at a top price of $805 and a low of $330, while PGG Wrightson sold 300 at a top price of $825, with the second and third cut calves making a low of $500.
PGG Wrightson sheep and beef representative Andrew Jennings said many Wairarapa coastal properties had a significant number of cattle entered.
“The market was strong relative to where the climatic conditions are at the moment,” he said.
Despite the drought, Jennings said he believed the calves sold at auction were in impeccable order.
He noted that although the market was not as strong as the first weaner sale, they gained “good value” under the hammer relative to other sales in New Zealand.
“On the whole, we were pleased with the results, and there was strong buy-in support from outside the area,” Jennings said.
“We felt that traditional sellers got good representation with the values that they received.
“Due to the drought conditions, we haven’t the number of buyers locally supporting our sale.
Jennings observed that most Wairarapa farms were “very dry”, with “no feed” and “no water”, which meant most of the cattle left Wairarapa.
But, he said, some of the traditional lines of coastal calves were supported by locals who buy annually.
Carrfields regional livestock manager Chris McBride said that sale prices in the South Island and North Island were similar this week.
“Given the fact that we’re in a drought area, it was a difficult sale, but vendors went home reasonably happy,” he said.
There was considerable buying support from the King Country, South Auckland, Manawatu, Whanganui, Gisborne, Te Awamutu Whanganui, and Dannevirke.
