Farmers take stock at spring sale

BIDDERS: Farmers and cattle buyers wait in the rostrum for the cattle they have an eye on to come through for bidding.

Farmers lean over fences looking at stock; some milling around catching up with like-minded people, others checking out the best looking breeds of cattle housed in separate pens.

Some walked along rails above the animals gaining a bird's eye view of what was on offer - others marking off their favourites for bidding later.

It's the annual Masterton Stockyard's Spring Cattle Fair with hundreds of 2-year rising and yearling steers, bulls, heifers and heifer calves from throughout the region on offer for sale.

Some pens housed only two head of cattle while others had up to 35.

Vendors were hoping to fetch a great price for stock with farmers hoping for a bargain and a good strain to add to their herds.

This was business - and a social day out.

The auctioneer's yelling in the rostrum can be heard around the yards with more than 150 farmers bidding strong for different breeds of cattle.

Hundreds of 2-year rising and yearling steers, bulls, heifers and heifer calves from throughout the region are on offer.

It's the first time dry stock farmer Bruce Martin has been to the Masterton Saleyards.

He was looking for yearling steers to buy.

But it was the character of the old saleyards that captured him most.

"I like the old-fashioned charm of this place. It's nice," he said.

He was most impressed with the stock on offer too.

"It's good to be able to walk among the cattle ... the quality on offer is great."

Former Wrightson PGG stock agent Dermot Fitzgerald was just checking out what was available.

He recalls bygone days when more than 7000 head of cattle was herded into pens for the spring sale.

"They used to be a lot bigger than this one," he said.

He was keeping an eye on Caribou stock from a Martinborough vendor.

"There is a very good yarding of cattle here," he said. "You get some great cattle coming through."

Ray Busby from Manahau Station was one vendor selling off 140 yearling angus/hereford cross head of cattle.

He took along a couple of German students staying with his family to "catch the atmosphere" of the sales.

"These events give us a chance to catch up with other farmers and find out what they are up to."

Pahiatua dry stock farmer Donald McLachlin was there to "spend some money" on 30-40 angus cross head of cattle because they "suit the country" he farms.

Meanwhile, Wrightson PGG stock agent Chris McBride said there were some outstanding cattle on offer from vendors with great prices being paid by buyers.

Buyers came from as far away as Taihape and the Hawke's Bay, he said.

"It was a good turnout of buyers ... the schedules were strong."

It had been a good winter for rearing stock with 2-year-old cattle of medium weight fetching between $1200 and $1300 a head, he said.

"For the size and weight they were pretty good prices."