Weaner prices set high base

Tollies N$15.02/kg
Heifers N$14.25/kg
Oxen N$15.28/kg
Stoors N$15.27/kg

The first weaner auctions for the season astonished both sellers and buyers with average prices exceeding market expectations. Agra last week said it achieved above expected prices despite the drought and oversupply. The Otjiwarongo auction in particular indicated that there are still many farmers with sufficient grazing, and that carcass prices can be expected to improve later this year.
The Otjiwarongo auction late in July proved to be the highlight in the current weaner auction season. At this auctioin 2085 cattle were sold at an average price of N$3227 per animal, translating to N$14,63/kg. The highest price for weaners at this auction was N$16.33/kg.
The highest average price for heifers was N$14.40/kg with a highest price of N$15.73/kg. Oxen achieved the highest price of all the cattle, at N$17.50/kg.
The Otjiwarongo auction had the biggest number of animals under the hammer so far, achieving the following averages: 889 tollies for N$15.02/kg, 776 heifers for N$14.25, 45 oxen for N$15.28, and 313 stoors for N$15.27.
Agra livestock division expressed the hope that this will be an indication of what producers can expect in the rest of the weaner auction season.
At the Grootfontein weaner auction earlier in July, average prices of more than N$13.00/kg were also achieved in all weaner categories and 1889 animals were sold for an average of 13.73/kg.
Various companies joined hands with Agra to reward the weaner calf winners with prizes with Telecom Namibia, MSD Animal Health and Bank Windhoek as main sponsors. Co-sponsors are Bayer, Shell, FeedPro, Marsh, Indongo Toyota, Trentyre and Ivomec, Corporate Guarantee. Local businesses who have also contributed to weaner auctions in their respective towns were Hoffmann Farm Implements, Santam, Hollard, Dawie Koch, Wulf and Uwe Halberstadt.
In Otjiwarongo, Marius Theron was the winner in the veld potential category, while the Tjijahura Brothers walked away with arms full of prizes for second and third place in the veld potential category and for selling the most weaners. Ralph Hoffmann won the first place at Otjiwarongo for calves with feedlot potential with Astrid Krings achieving second place and first place in the heifer category.
In Grootfontein, Dries Swart was awarded first, second and third place in the category weaners with the best veld potential, first place with his heifers and he also sold the most weaners. Kiep Lepen, Specialist Stud Services at Agra, who did the judging in Grootfontein and Otjiwarongo congratulated the farmers on good quality weaners offered despite current challenging farming conditions. All the winners at the different weaner auctions stand a chance to be awarded as the 2013 Agra regional weaner champions for north, central and south and the national weaner champion.