Service bull sale at Huntly
Autumn calving farmers from around New Zealand are expected to attend a service bull sale on the outskirts of Huntly in early May - some in person, but most online.
The sale was held on the station at Tauhei, Waikato, and resulted in a clearance of the 152 bulls presented.
“There were eight bulls passed in, but I sold them the next day above the reserve and they all went to Kerikeri,” rural operations manager of the Tainui Group and station manager Ian Mathieson told Rural News.
Animals went as far north as Kaikohe, to Te Kuiti and Taupo in the south, and to Bay of Plenty. Most buyers were dairy farmers.
The sale was held in wet, windy weather but this did not deter buyers. Free food and hot drinks were offered and this year a professional chef, Sarah Higgie, ran a barbeque all day.
Selling agents were RD1 Livestock and PGG Wrightson.
Prices: 65 head of 24-30 month bulls averaged $2250; and 87 head of 18 month bulls averaged $1810. Both averages were up on 2013 sale figures.
“It was a good sale in spite of the weather and pay-out forecast and farmers realise the premium that Polled Hereford calves can get next spring,” Mathieson says.
