There was a full clearance of about 1300 calves, a mix of steers and heifers, at Palmerston Saleyards on March 27.
‘‘Demand was strong across all classes,’’ PGG Wrightson auctioneer Mark Yeates said.
Top steers sold for between $1800 and $2000 each, the second draft of steers fetched between $1600 and $1800 and younger, lighter steers sold for about $1400.
The best heifers sold for between $1550 and $1700, the second cut fetched between $1300 and $1500 and the lighter and younger heifers sold for between $900 and $1200.
Buyers were mostly from Otago and the rest were from Canterbury, Mr Yeates said.
‘‘Winter crops are looking good and there’s plenty of supplement made.’’
Prices were up on last year due to the rise in the beef schedule, he said.
The top steers at the same sale last year fetched between $1500 and $1600 and the top heifers fetched up to $1100, Mr Yeates said.
Jackie Cameron, of Tiroiti near Hyde, said she and her husband Murdoch bought 29 ‘‘wee’’ heifers at the sale.
‘‘Prices were hot, especially for the big steers, so we opted for the little guys and we are in no rush to get them through our system.’’
She expected the heifers to be on their family’s 1000ha sheep and beef farm Ivybridge for up to two years.
The heifers were a range of beef breeds.
‘‘We ended up with a bit of everything, Charolais, Angus, Hereford, a bit of a mix.’’
Autumn had been good for growing feed, she said.
‘‘We are still mowing the lawn, which is crazy. We have plenty of grass around, which is great.’’
The Cameron family regularly attended the sale and had never seen calves fetch higher prices.
Calf buyers and sellers come from far and wide to be part of the sale.
‘‘There was plenty of people at the sale — she was pretty cosy in the shed.’’
- Steers sold for between $920 and $2020 each at Gore Calf Sale at Charlton Saleyards on April 1.
Heifers fetched between $740 and $1840 each.
