First cattle fetching sound prices at Dannevirke Cattle Fair

An impressive lineup of two-year-old steers averaged $1550/head.

It was pretty much a sea of black at the first Dannevirke Cattle Fair of the season on November 8.

A total of 709 cattle went under the hammer, reaching sound prices on a par with other recent sales.

PGG Wrightson Manager and auctioneer Bjorn Anderson said top cattle were presented which made good money and the rest were nicely bred.

These other yearling steers averaged out at $1100/head.

They were predominantly Angus and Angus/Hereford X with some top Red Devon steers and heifers and a few Charolais and Simmental.

Buying for the yearling steers came predominantly from Tararua farmers with Manawatu and Wairarapa taking the majority of two-year-old steers. Bjorn says farmers are cautious about buying with the possibility of drought looming.

These Te Tumu Station Red Devon yearling steers from Akitio reached the top price of $1210/head.

Yearling heifers like these were less in demand but the top price reached $1115/head.