Spring grass growth and a quality offering of lambs contributed to premium prices at yesterday's Stortford Lodge stock sale.
Good shorn ewe lambs sold particularly well at the Stortford Lodge store sale yesterday.
Shorn male lambs in the yarding of about 8000 head also attracted a premium in what was a strong sale overall.
Agents said the quality of the offering, spring grass growth and competition from outside buyers all contributed.
One feature of the sale was the almost 1200 shorn ewe lambs from Marainanga Station, Akitio.
Another feature was the reappearance of more than 1000 lambs from the Chatham Islands.
The stock transport boat for the islands is back at work after several months of being serviced.
The small cattle yarding of about 180 head sold on par with previous weeks.
Buyers were from Hawke’s Bay, Feilding, Stratford and Hamilton.
PRICES
Cattle cows, vic: Robert Holt Family Trust, Puketitiri, seven ang, weight, 519kg, 218c/kg, $1135/head.
Steers: 2yr, Roberts Family Trust, Waipukurau, six crossbred, weight, 568kg, 311c/kg, $1770/head. Yrling, J Powdrell, Putere, 19 ang, weight, 257kg, 411c/kg, $1060/head.
Bulls: Yrling, Marainanga Station, Akitio, nine here, weight, 354kg, 341c/kg, $1210/head; J Powdrell, Putere, six ang-here, weight, 312kg, 339c/kg, $1060/head; J and J Stephens, Waipawa, 15 wnr fries, weight, 133kg, 397cc/kg, $530/head.
Heifers: 2yr, Carswell Farm, Puketitiri, seven here-fries, weight, 379kg, 304c/kg, $1155/head; five here-cross, weight, 346kg, 266c/kg, $920/head; five here-fries, weight, 343kg, 271c/kg, $930/head; W and M Robinson, Ocean Beach, five here-fries, weight, 453kg, 306c/kg, $1390/head. Yrling, Ngapari Ltd, Wallingford, 20 charo-cross, weight, 272kg, 359c/kg, $980/head; J Powdrell, Putere, 19 ang, weight, 257kg, 332c/kg, $855/head; 19 ang and ang-here, weight, 233kg, 331c/kg, $775/head; Carswell Farm, Puketitiri, 15 ang and ang-here, weight, 208kg, 325c/kg, $680/head.
Sheep-ewes, lambs at foot: Monk P/ship, Tamumu, nine ewes, 11 lambs, $66 all counted.
Lambs: K Harding and Co, Woodville, 180 weth, $160; Tumuhau Trust, Maraeakakaho,192 c/o, $155; 91 c/o, $149.50; 40 c/o, $123; Riverbank Station, Rissington, 279 c/o, $153.50; 273 c/o, $143; Waikareao Farm, Te Aute, 231 c/o, $148.50; Stonehenge Trust, Whakapirau, 238 male, $112; 59 male, $105; 137 ewe, $105; 37 ewe, $103; Wairakei, Taupo, 122 male, $110; 228 male, $98; 119 male, $86; 92 ewe, $101; 140 ewe, $101; 134 ewe, $81; Te Ngaio Farm, Porangahau, 121 c/o, $127; 67 c/o, $106; H Angus Ltd, Tamumu, 74 ram, $126; 81 ewe, $128; Ferguson Pastoral, Waimarama, 55 male, $137; 160 ewe, $139; S Norman, Chatham Island, 139 weth, $143; 29 weth, $120; 19 ewe, $131; Sandy Hills Farm, Porangahau, 34 c/o, $112; 96 ewe, $127; S and S Duncan Elsthorpe, 118 ewe, $140; 31 ewe, $129; Makino P/ship, Dannevirke, 328 ewe, $139.50; 250 ewe, $138; C Nicholson, Roys Hill, 212 ewe, $132; 171 ewe, $129; 177 ewe, $119; 119 ewe, $121; Marainanga Station, Akitio, 441 ewe, $143; 132 ewe, $125; 432 ewe, $140; 187 ewe, $126; G and J McLennan, Oueroa, 179 ewe, $134.50; Te Ngaio Farm, Chatham Island, 157 m/s, $144.50; 70 m/s, $125; Q and T Horler, Chatham Island, 251 m/s, $143.50; Pourerere Station, Omakere, 132 ewe, $140; Dunbar Farming Co, Porangahau, 76 ewe, $142; Kopi Holdings, Chatham Island, 174 ewe, $144.50; 45 ewe, $133.50; Te Awatapu Downs, Chatham Island, 156 ewe, $129; 44 ewe, $123; A and D Delugar, Waipawa, 80 ewe, $137.50; 54 ewe, $133.50; Mackintosh and Sons, Waikare, 57 m/s, 4130; Karaka Farm, Kahuranaki, 19 ewe, $123; Mangatapiri Station, Elsthorpe, 18 m/a, $126.
Prime cattle sales have returned to Stortford Lodge after a break of almost two years. Cattle will be sold fortnightly on a Monday. There were 46 offered on Monday.
In the sheep section, the good tone of the last two weeks continued for a mostly quality offering for both ewes and lambs. There were 277 lambs and about 560 sheep on offer.
PRICES
Cattle-heifers and cows: Fries, fries-cross, ang, ang-here and ang-cross: weight, 425kg to 633kg; $1.96/kg to $3.07/kg; $1001/head to $1843/head.
Sheep-lambs: Male, $120 to $186; ewe, $113 to $175; m/s, $124 to $165.
Ewes: Slipe, heavy, $133; good, $120 to $128; med, $106 to $116; light/med, $80 to $86; light, $55. Shorn, med, $105. Woolly, med, $103; light, $62.
Rams: $30 to $41.
Two helicopters are battling the 10ha blaze.