Although solid values and strong demand, including procurement pressure on processors, are positive, variable weather poses some challenges.

Variable weather conditions, and a shortage of stock, is influencing sales of sheep and cattle throughout the country.

Although values remain solid, rainfall variance throughout the country is influencing demand for store cattle. While the weather is playing havoc in some regions, including Manawatu, parts of Otago and Southland where we haven’t seen such wet conditions in recent years, other regions are still welcoming any moisture to aid the spring growth.

Demand at the South Island spring cattle sales has been strong, with traditional cattle breeds selling well. While conditions further south have been cold, when the milder spring conditions arrive, feed will be abundant, albeit store cattle numbers are short due to the dry autumn.

Processors are under procurement pressure to fill chains, and with the lamb schedule above $8 per kilogram, farmers are receiving solid values for last season’s lambs. In the South Island, once the lambs are sold, the last of the crossbreds and the fine wool breeds will follow. Ewes coming to the North Island market early with lambs at foot also represent a good purchasing option.

Weather has effected lambing percentages in the South Island, where plenty of autumn feed led to strong scanning figures in Southland and Otago, though a subsequent cold spell has taken the edge off that, to the disadvantage of survival rates. Meanwhile, Canterbury has gone through the opposite, where earlier dry conditions negatively affected scanning percentages, then a relatively dry and mild winter meant a higher proportion of lambs survived.

Overall, markets are progressing positively. However, the prime beef schedule is likely to ease slightly.