Dannevirke has growing market for feeder calves

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These speckled park cross heifers topped both NZ Farmer’s Livestock sales over two weeks at $215/head on July 27.

It is pretty early in the season for feeder calves but numbers in the first two NZ Farmers Livestock sales doubled to 50 last week.

This was matched by a bigger attendance of buyers with more than 20 interested to assess the buying opportunities.

Friesian bull calves dominated the numbers at 30 of the 50 calves and averaged $100/head the range depending upon size.

There was a mix of other Friesian X breeds in small numbers at both sales, buyers snapping up Angus cross bulls and heifers at moderate prices, the best Angus reaching $125 per head and three speckled park heifers reaching $215/head.

One breed sparked some interest – two piedmontese, from the Pyrenees, renowned for their double muscle like a Belgian blue selling for $90/head. Piedmontese have been in NZ in varying numbers since the 1980s.

Livestock agent Clint Worthington says Thursday sales will continue at the Dannevirke A&P Showgrounds with numbers expected to increase dramatically as calving expands and the weather improves.

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