Last season’s lambs now largely processed, while the first of the new season begin to appear in saleyards. 

Sustained heavy rain over Labour Weekend provided much needed respite in some regions, where dry conditions had begun to threaten spring growth. North Canterbury in particular welcomed the improved soil moisture content, leaving several inland districts much better set up for the spring than they were before the rain.

North Island markets are going through a mini-hiatus, with the new season lambs not yet coming through. Demand for store stock is steady, at values at or above expectations. With docking in progress, reports on lambing percentages are encouraging. Supply and demand remain positively balanced for cattle prices, with good entries indicated for upcoming yardings.

Among a series of Central Hawke’s Bay on-farm lamb sales in late October, Waikareao Station in the Wanstead district east of Waipukurau offered 2200 freshly weaned mixed-sex Southdown-cross lambs, 12 weeks old with plenty of weight, the top cut of 156 fetched $144.50 while most of the rest sold to Manawatū farmers.

In the South Island, apart from the fine wool breeds most of the old season lambs have now been sent to the works, and the first of the new season lambs are starting to appear in the saleyards. Spring cattle sales have been subject to strong demand in all categories.