Demand exceeds supply across most livestock classes as farmers are prepared to pay well to take benefit from propitious feed and export conditions. 

While much of the North Island needs rain, particularly Taranaki and Waikato, the livestock market throughout the country remains strong, with the balance between supply and demand generally favouring the seller.

Store lamb sales have featured heavily in South Island livestock markets in recent weeks, with plenty of quality stock coming forward. Processing company schedules remain firm, and with abundant feed on the ground in most districts, these lambs are meeting eager demand and receiving good prices.

Similar circumstances prevail with South Island store cattle: a strong beef market, forecast to continue through the rest of 2025, means any store cattle coming to the saleyards are well received.

Big numbers of prime cattle, including bulls coming out of dairy herds, dairy heifers, and prime heifers and steers, are also evident in the South Island. A shortage of cattle coming forward to processing companies has created strong demand at regular sales, as is particularly evident at the Temuka Saleyards, where yardings are at record numbers, and stock are gaining excellent prices.

Weaner sales feature heavily in the North Island in the next few weeks. These commence this week, with the Northland run of weaner fairs starting in the week of 10 March, running approximately daily for the following fortnight, serving as a forerunner for weaner sales in the rest of the North Island, with calf sales following in the South Island.

Dairy cows are in strong demand. Any herds, heifers or in-milk cows coming forward are likely to quickly find willing buyers.

With the property market for sheep and beef farms also on an upward swing, several clearing and dispersal sales are on the calendar over the coming weeks, offering stock and plant. These include: 
•    A plant clearing sale at Omakau on 4 March
•    A dispersal sale at Ruaview Angus, Ohakune on 11 March, also on bidr. See the auction listing here. 
•    A capital stock on-farm ewe sale at Etalvale Station, Otautau on 12 March
•    A stock and plant clearing sale in Edendale on 13 March 
•    A capital stock on-farm ewe sale in Balfour on 17 March 
•    A milking shorthorn dispersal sale in Kennington, Invercargill on 19 March comprising in-milk cows and weaner heifer replacements 
•    A stock and plant clearing sale in Gore on 19 March, including 2300 Cooptex mixed age ewes and lambs
•    A clearing sale at Tuapeka Flat, Lawrence on 21 March
•    A stock and plant clearing sale at Greenfield on 28 March, including around 1500 Romney mixed age ewes 

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