Steer Calves Sell To $65 At Kaikoura

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31659, 20 April 1968, Page 18

Steer Calves Sell To $65 At Kaikoura

Steer calve values rose by $8 to $l2 a head on last year at the Kaikoura and East Coast cattle sale on Thursday. Heifer calves also showed a marked rise, although they were not quite up to Addington rates.

The yarding was 1710 head, compared with 1575 last year, and consisted of 960 steer calves, 505 heifer calves and 245 adult cattle. The main pens of steer calves were of excellent quality, Aberdeen Angus—Hereford cross calves predominating. However, there was a larger tail-end, particularly in the heifer calf section. The steer calf sale went at a very brisk pace, with six sales at $6O a head or better. Values were very close to rates being paid at Addington. A large number of calves were purchased for the Cheviot, Motunau and Waiau districts. Quite a number were also bought by Banks Peninsula buyers, and others went as far as Hororata. TOP PRICE Top price for steer calves was $65 for a pen of 20 Aberdeen Angus Herefords from F. 3. Peach, of Ludley. This was $l9 better than his top price last year, but the rise was mainly because of the marked improvement in quality. One of the feature lines came from the estate of C. J. Aitken, of Swyncombe. These weaned calves attracted strong competition, the top two pens being knocked down at $63 and $6O. Ninety-six steer calves from this vendor averaged $58.50 a pen, a rise of $11,25 on last year. L. H. H. Weavers (Sawyer Downs) sold a pen of 34 Aberdeen Angus-Herefords at s6l— better than his best price last year. C. A. McGregor, of Greenhills, sold 58 Aberdeen Angus and Aberdeen Angus-Hereford calves at $47.50 to $6O, compared with

$44 and $43.50 for two pens last sale. There were only half a dozen pens of Herefords and top price was $54.50 for a pen of 21 from B. T. Seddon (Llewellyn). This was $9 better than last year. Some of the Herefords looked cheaper buying than the other calves. On Addington rates, the top pen were worth close on $6O. However, taking into account trucking charges for calves sold at Addington, the discount at Kaikoura was not so large. HEIFER CALVES Heifer calves did not meet such an animated sale, but values were consistently $6 to $8 better than last sale. Values were $5 or so below Addington rates, but again taking freight rates into consideration, the actual difference was nearer $3. Top price here was $62 for a pen of 21 Herefords from B. T. Seddon. Last year, this vendor’s calves made $56. These calves were much bigger than Hereford calves which made up to $76 at Temuka two weeks ago. F. J. Peach gained top price for Aberdeen Angus and Aberdeen Angus-Hereford heifer calves with a pen of 15 at $49 —59.50 better than last year. Three pens of 64 head from the Aitken Estate sold at $46, $43, and s34.so—an over-all improvement of $4 a ven on last sale. W. A. Gregory (Lake Hills) sold 47 at $37 to «41 comfiared with 132 for a pen of 20 ast year. C. A. McGregor who sold three lots at $3O to $36 last year, sold two pens at $39 to $4l on Thursday. A range of values is: Steer calves: Best Aberdeen Angus and Aberdeen AngusHereford $57 to $63, with one sale at $65; medium $5O to $56, $56, smaller $42 to $4B, with tail-end lots at $25 to $32. Best Herefords to $54.50, others $42 to $5O. Heifer calves: Best Aberdeen Angus and Aberdeen AngusHereford $4O to $45, with one sale at $49; medium $35 to $39, smaller $3O to $34, with tail-end lots down to $2O. Herefords $55 to $62, with small down to $43. COWS TO SlO2 While calves made up the bulk of the entry, one of the features of the sale was the demand for breeding cows in the adult cattle yarding. Top sale of the day was $lO2 which a Purau buyer paid for 10 mated Herefords offered on account of D. G. Todhunter, Ngaio Downs. J. G. Latter sold a pen of 14 mated Herefords at $9O, and W. A. Gregory a pen of 11 Aberdeen Angus at $67. A pen of six unmated Hereford heifers from R. F. G. Lat-

ter (Kincaid Downs) fetched $93.50 —an excellent sale. The yarding included a number of pens of good 20-month-old steers. The tops of the Aberdeen Angus-Herefords sold to $76.50, Herefords sold from $64.50 to $72, and some Aberdeen Angus at $Bl. Friesians sold to $73. Principal sales included: Steer calves: H. V. Snushall (Quail Downs), 45 Aberdeen Angus and Aberdeen Angus-Here-ford at $56; Fernleigh Estate, 27 Aberdeen Angus at $53, 10 Aberdeen Angus-Hereford at $59; P. L. Gray (Surrey Downs), 20 Aberdeen Angus at $54, 18 Aberdeen Angus-Hereford at $56, 17 Hereford at $52; A. D. Appleby (Imphal), 18 Aberdeen AngusHereford at $5B; C- A. McGregor (Greenhills), 16 Aberdeen Angus-Hereford at $6O, 15 at $47.50, 27 Aberdeen Angus at $55; T. P. Shand gnd Son (Seaward Valley), 18 Aberdeen Angus-Hereford at $54, 30 Aberdeen Angus at $51.50; P. A. Acton-Adams (Dillondale). 16 Aberdeen Angus and Aberdeen Angus-Hereford at $5l: W. J. Morgan (Okarahia Downs), 22 Aberdeen Angus at $55; R. D. Middleton (Waipapa), 23 Herefords at $54.50, 14 at $46, 8 Aberdeen Angus and Aberdeen Angus-Hereford at $57; S. W. Pilbrow (Puhi Peaks), 11 Herefords at $5O; E. G. Latter (Cranbrook), 16 Aberdeen Angus and Aberdeen Angus-Hereford at $53; H. C. Acton-Adams, 9 Aberdeen Angus and Aberdeen Angus-Here-ford at $55.50. Heifer calves: A. D. Appleby (Imphal), 14 Aberdeen Angus at $40.50; J. G. Latter (Kekerengu), 23 Aberdeen Angus-Here-ford at $42; D. G. Tohunter (Dillondale), 14 Aberdeen AngusHereford at $40.50; E. G. Latter (Cranbrook), 14 Aberdeen Angus and Aberdeen Angus-Hereford at $39.50; C. A. McGregor (Greenhills), 8 Aberdeen Angus-Here-ford at $4l, 22 Aberdeen Angus at $39; W. A. Gregory (Lake Hills), 15 Aberdeen Angus- Hereford at $4l; L. H. Weavers (Sawyer Downs), 23 Aberdeen Angus and Aberdeen Angus cross at $44.50. Adult cattle: M. G. Barker (Puhi Downs), 14 Aberdeen Angus-Hereford 20-month-old steers at $76.50, 30 Aberdeen Angus at $74; G. Blunt (Steepdown). 14 Hereford 20-month-old steers at $72, 13 at $64.50: B. S. Trolove (The Shades), 12 Aberdeen Angus 20-month-old steers at $81; R. J. and D. Broadhurst (Kaikoura), 19 Friesian 20-month-old steers at $73; Gordon and Browne (Kaikoura), 12 Friesian steers at $7l.