Angus Pure tagged male weaner calves from Mt Nessing in the Albury district of South Canterbury were selling in a red hot battle for quality calves, said Hazlett Livestock Rep, Chris Buckley, on sale day April 15 at the Temuka saleyards.

The Western Section special calf sale offered 819 Angus steer and heifer calves from the Mt Nessing area, including a key offering of 350 steer and 220 heifer calves that Buckley said were weighing from 240-250kg LW down to 160-180kg LW for heifers. Other vendors included Willara Farm,B&CJ Boothroyd, Manahune Station, and Glass Farming.

While the whole weaner fair season has been strong, with AgriHQ senior analyst Suz Bremner describing the market in March as “supercharged”, Buckley said the Western Section atmosphere was ’incredible’, with the top steer calves reaching $8.00-9.09/kg. Eight lines of steer calves made between $1250 to $1970 per head. 

“The market has been very good, but this sale is red hot,” he said.

“This is such an incredible atmosphere, with buyers recognising the real sale value with calves in these added value programmes – farmers are rewarded well for selling the calves and buyers also when they sell the finished animals.”

In Suz Bremner’s March update prices had been expected to be $200 to $300/head higher than last year but after two weeks of sales, those expectations have been exceeded.

Traditional steers that last year averaged $1100 to $1200 were this year making $1800 to $2000. Heifer prices have increased by similar margins, attracting interest from those unable to buy steers. Steers making $7-$8/kg and heifers $6-$7/kg are similar to those historically paid for 18-month-old cattle.