Coast cattle prices soar

Press, 2 November 1989, Page 19

Coast cattle prices soar

West Coast store cattle prices rocketed at a recent Totara Flat sale, reaching an all-time high. A quality yarding of around 400 attracted buyers from Canterbury and Nelson, blit local fatteners also bid keenly and much of the yarding remained on the West Coast. Excellent spring growing provided an early surplus of feed, thus adding to the annual demand for yearling cattle at this time. A high quality line of two-year-old Hereford steers offered on behalf of S. Bertacco, Ahaura, topped the sale, fetching $770 to $795. A line of yearlings from the same vendor returned $495 to $6OO. Yearling heifers met with keen demand, with the best selling for $312 to $366, a massive increase on prices received for the best heifer calves in the autumn. Several lines of yearling bulls attracted strong bidding, the best selling at $4BO, mediums $455 and small at $350. A good South Westland spring was reflected in the top quality yarding of one and two-year cattle for the spring cattle sale at Whataroa last week. Prices were firm on other South Island sales with most cattle bought by local buyers. One of the main attractions of the sale was the consignment of cattle from Mr Jaz R. Foster, whose property at Hari Hari had been sold. He sold 12 two-year steers at $672 to $765, 20 two-year heifers at $714 to $725, 24 yearling steers at $512 to $636, and 15 yearling heifers at $432 to $434.

Other sales included.— Milton Partnership (Franz Josef), 10 twoyear steers at $662 to $665; R.J.P. Tapp (Kakpotahi), 34 two-year steers at $6lO to $670; Windermere Farms (Hari Hari), 15 twoyear steers at $645 to $714; S.G.H. and A. V. Northcroft (Whataroa), 6 two-year steers at $590 to $670; four two-year heifers at $500; Kitchin Partnership (Whataroa), 27 two-year heifers at $456 to $570; K. J. and N. E. Williams (Fox Glacier), eight cows at $492; R. E. Clarke (Franz Josef), 16 yearling steers at $414 to $436, nine yearling heifers at $330 to $418; T. F. and B. Condon (Bruce Bay), 16 yearling steers at $5OO to $550; M. H. Keys (Karangarua), six yearling steers at $3BB, six yearling heifers at $298; D. A. Saxton (Haast), eight yearling steers at $426, 10 yearling heifers at $318; Kerrs Farm (Fox Glacier), 10 yearling steers at $438, 43 yearling heifers at $386 to $432; R. K. McKenzie (Hari Hari), five yearling steers at $490; Condon Farms (Paringa), 26 yearling steers at $498 to $575, 22 yearling heifers at $416 to $422; J. P. Scott (Karangarua), 27 yearling heifers at $3OO to $360; Donovan Farm (Franz Josef), 35 yearling heifers at $4OO to $432; Arawhata Cattle Company (Haast), 23 yearling heifers at $332 to $412; S. C. Lancaster (Hari Hari), nine yearling heifers at $342; W. F. Diedrichs (Kokatahi), 14 yearling heifers at $4lB to $452; R. A. and L. K. Cooper (Hari Hari), eight yearling heifers at $332 to $432; T. E. Nolan (Whataroa), 24 yearling heifers at $3OO to $358; Bannoch Brae Farm (Bruce Bay), 36 yearling heifers at $384 to $424; D. J. Nolan (Haast), 23 yearling heifers at $332 to $406.