Calf prices up by $20

Press, 16 June 1983, Page 18

Calf prices up by $20

Store calf prices improved by at least $2O at Addington market yesterday. Demand for calves, especially from West Coast 'buyers, was very strong. Several sales of more than $2OO were recorded for calves mostly reared on high country properties. An enthusiastic group of buyers followed the entire sale and they competed freely for all types of cattle. In previous weeks, lighter cattle, especially in the calf pens, have been harder to sell, but yesterday that trend was reversed. In some cases lighter calves sold for $3O or $4O more than they would have made a month ago.

The best steer calves mainly sold between $lB5

and $220, medium $145 to $l7O, and light down to $75. Best heifers were between $l6B and $l9O, medium $135 and $l6O, and light down to $6B. In the adult section buyer enthusiasm was much the same. Over-all values increased by $lO to $l5 and, on some lighter sorts, by up to $4O. Heavy two-year steers exceeded $4OO several times and the medium sorts were usually $290 to $350. A real feature of the sale was the 100 cows offered by Mt Longfellow Station. In all 100 of these mixed age, in calf Herefords were sold. Prices ranged from $238 to $334. All of these cows, except for one pen, went to Banks Peninsula breeders.