North and South Island livestock market benefiting from abundant grass growth, while processor demand also a positive factor.

As most districts benefit from favourable spring weather, sheep and cattle values throughout the country are responding accordingly.

In North Island livestock markets, beef values remain solid. On the back of processor schedules and reasonable growth throughout most districts, demand for cattle is holding steady.

South Island cattle sales are also continuing a positive trend, with plenty of grass growth in many districts giving farmers the motivation to either replace trading stock sold during the drought last year, or to take up the extra feed they now have in the paddock.

Meanwhile, new season North Island lambs and early drafts of prime lamb are achieving firm values. General consensus holds that the season is approximately a month later than usual. Associated with this, the lack of early drought impact that we saw last season from areas like the Wairarapa means volumes of lambs through store channels and direct to processors are lower than in previous years. Less heat and sunshine means lambs are slower to reach optimum weights, which is assisting values through supply and demand factors, albeit the Hawke’s Bay and East Coast regions remain challenged with dry conditions.

At on-farm store lamb sales and through saleyards south of the Cook Strait, the first spring lambs coming through the market are stronger than last year. Solid demand resulted in early sales averaging $25 to $30 per head above where they were 12 months ago. As both lamb and  mutton schedules are higher than last year, indications are favourable for these levels to continue through December and into 2025.

Contact your local PGG Wrightson Livestock Rep for any advice on buying & selling.