Dannevirke: Calf numbers up, heifer prices high

Bill Rendle (left) and Tristan Gordon, of New Zealand Farmers Livestock, sell a pen of pedigree Holstein Friesian calves at the first four-day calf sale of the season at the A&P Showgrounds on Monday morning. The calves made $190 a head. Photo / Christine McKay

There were significantly more four-day spring calves up for sale in Dannevirke on Monday than at this time last year.

Tristan Gordon of NZ Farmers Livestock had 85 head of stock go under the hammer at the A&P Showgrounds.

"The number of calves for sale is well up on the normal first sale of the season," Gordon told the Dannevirke News. "The Friesian bull market is ridiculous with prices really high, but beef calves could have gone better."

Gordon said the high number of calves presented could be because farmers aren't getting much for bobby calves. Buyers from as far afield as Hawke's Bay were looking, but couldn't believe the prices when the top pen went for $217 a head.

Buyers and onlookers.

"These were good Friesian calves," Gordon said. A second pen from the same vendor went for $190 a head, while a pen of small calves made $80. However, there was no interest in some calves. But a pen of pedigree Holstein Friesians made $190 a head and bull calves from the same vendor $205 a head. Polled Angus bulls made $155 and a Murray Grey bull $180.

Two white-faced heifer calves made $180 a head, a Murray Grey heifer $182 and Angus heifers $155. There was spirited bidding for a pen of Angus heifers, sold at $207.

The next showgrounds four-day sale is tomorrow morning, with a feeder calf sale at the Dannevirke Saleyards at 12.30.