Lambs, ewes still strong

The price of lambs and ewes are still strong.

Store lambs, prime ewes and store cattle were the story of June at Stortford Lodge.

PGG Wrightson livestock manager Vern Wiggins said store lambs and prime ewe prices continued their strength of the past few months as the grass continued to grow in a gentle autumn.

Store cattle prices lifted about 20c to 25c/kg as a shortage caused by last year's drought continued to cut supply.

Weaner friesian bull prices showed a pleasing lift after a slump earlier this year. Mr Wiggins said many farmers had taken longer to get their older stock to good weights, so were coming into the market now looking for replacements.

"The market is starting to kick back into life."

Prime cattle prices also began to lift toward the end of month as quality finished stock came forward.

"The outlook for beef is good because of the shortage of supply," he said.

Chinese demand is underpinning the prime ewe market. The carcasses are exported whole for further processing in China. "They can do it a lot cheaper than we can."

Demand for store lambs continued unabated as grazers sought to fill contracts. For some there could be only a small margin when the lambs were finished. Few in-lamb ewes came forward in June but those that did were cheap enough, he said.

Only one big line of capital stock from a Dannevirke farm sale was sold in June. Most of the others have been annual drafts from hill-country vendors and many had been of medium quality, making around the $120-$130 mark.

Mr Wiggins said the warm autumn and good pregnancy scanning results had lifted farmer morale after the drought.