Cattle sales prove hard

Press, 13 March 1986, Page 13

Cattle sales prove hard

An excellent quality line-up of 18-month-old cattle attracted only moderate interest from farmers at the Addington market yesterday. The offering of almost 1500 head of cattle made up one of the best quality yardings of 18-month cattle seen at Addington for several years. All cattle were showing the benefits of a good growing season for pasture and were carrying plenty of condition. Buying power, however, was tempered by the general lack of confidence in the farming industry and the flow-on effects of the strike by meat workers which has closed export processing works.

Some farmers, who have been unable to get prime cattle killed because of the strike, were not able to buy their full number of replacement stock. Prices for 18-month cattle were generally $lOO a head cheaper than at last year’s corresponding sale. Selling was considerably harder than at recent cattle sales. A feature of the market was the annual draft of over 350 18-month steers from Beltana Estate, Parnassus. These cattle sold to $530 for Charolais cross steers ($664 last year), Herefords reached $4BO ($608), Angus $506 ($612), and Angus-Hereford cross $492 ($588). Another well-known consignment was the Montrose Hereford steers from A. F. S. and W. H. Rutherford, Culverden, which sold to $5lO ($660 last year). Compared with the restricted demand for 18-month cattle, calves sold very well, although only a few pens were offered. Steer calves reached $3OO. In the sheep section, oneyear ewes dominated the yarding of adult ewes. These sheep attracted little interest, and many sales were between $4 and $6, with better mouthing ewes making only $8 to $9.

Among sales of a small selection of good quality ewes were Romneys from Banks Peninsula at $l4 and an early shorn line at $12.60. The same lack of enthusiasm affected the two-tooth market where most medium ewes made $l4 to $l7. Light two-tooths sold down to $l2 and a small pen of heavilywoolled Corriedales reached $20.70. Store lambs sold steadily al $8 to $ll for medium sized stock. Few good lambs were

offered and these struggled to exceed $l3. The sheep yardings were 6600 lambs (5500 last week), and 5300 adult sheep (7760). Sales included:— Eighteen-menth cattle

A. F. S. and W. H. Rutherford (Culverden), 100 Hereford steers at $426 to $510; Leslie Hills station (Culverden), 82 Hereford steers at $3BO to $464, and 54 heifers at $330 to $374; G. H. McLintock (Cheviot), 48 Simmental cross and Hereford cross steers at $350 to $408; Calder Fanning Company (Hawarden), 38 Hereford-Shorthom cross steers at $366 to $420, and 43 heifers at $3OO to $350; T. C. Glasson (Whitecliffs), 12 Hereford steers at $394, and 14 heifers at $320; Beltana Estate (Parnassus), 44 Charolais cross steers at $478 to $530, 11 Simmental steers at $504, 15 Charolais cross heifers at $382 to $412, 50 Angus-Hereford cross steers at $436 to $492, 121 Angus steers at $4OB to $506, and 120 Hereford steers at $4OB to $480; S. P. Hastings (Irwell), 7 Simmental-Frie-sian cross steers at $446; J. W. and M. I. N. Cottier (Waiau), 132 Angus steers at $368 to $440; M. J. Hurford (Irwell), 11 Friesian steers at $352; N. G. Harnett (Kaikoura), 31 Hereford and Angus cross steers at $438 to $458; J. J. and J. R. Smith (Kaikoura), 74 Hereford, Angus cross and Angus steers at $416 to $460; Halgrowe Farm (Halswell), 10 Angus heifers at $320; The Gates Farm (Waiau), 35 Angus and Angus cross heifers at $294 to $320; Mrs D. F. Gardner (Kaiapoi), 18 Hereford, Angus and Angus Cross heifers at $290.

J. R. and H. M. Inch (Hororata), 14 Angus-Hereford cross steers at $292 to $300; Douglas Cox, Ltd (Amberley), 12 Murray Grey steers at $270, 10 heifers at $238.

L. C. Waghorn (Duvauchelle), 243 black-faced lambs at $l2 to $13.30; Lands and Survey Department (Cheddar Valley, Waiau), 450 shorn Corriedale wethers at $9.40 to $12.10; Northcote Trust (Waiau), 503 Halfbred wethers at $B.BO to $11.80; J. R. Russell (Lees Valley), 342 Halfbred wethers at $7.40 to $11.60; N. D. Shipley (Harewood), 348 Corriedale wethers at $9.20 to $10.40; D. R. Shipley (Harewood), 150 Corriedale wethers at $10.50.