METHVEN EWE FAIR

Press, Volume XCIII, Issue 27914, 10 March 1956, Page 12

METHVEN EWE FAIR

—► Prices Reflect Hard Season BIG ENTRY OF TWO-TOOTHS The Methven ewe fair, held yester-; day. followed fairly closely the pat-j tern of other fairs this season, in that Romney and Romney cross types were. in keener demand than fine-woolledl and also that rates were gen -1 erally a good deal below those of i last vear. Top quality always met a I fairly keen demand, but values were: def nitelv easier on those ruling at j earlier fairs for equivalent sheep. This state of affairs was more obvious among the two-tooth offering, as older ewes were very little below the standard of values at other fairs. There was a fair attendance, and the weather was fine —perhaps too fine—but bidding was rather restricted throughout the sale, and passings were fairly frequent. The total offering of 19,927 consisted of 13.076 older ewes, and 6851 i 1 two-tooths. Last year there was a yarding of 14.031 old ewes, and 5220 ' two-tooths. Romneys formed the I greater proportion of the total yard- i ing. but there was a sprinkling of! large station lines of fine-woolled j ewes. A large entry of lambs received for this sale is being offered next week, so that no ewe lambs came forward yesterday. The condition and quality of most of the offering was of a highly commendable standard. Some , sheep, however, were showing the effects of the hard season, and. of 1 course, this was only to be expected. Two-t 3oths i There was a larger entry of two- . tooths than in 1955: this year’s total of 6851 being well in excess of last year’s ( entry of 5220. and this factor no doubt ; helped to influence the demand to some extent, as it gave buyers a far • wider choice. However, the prices ’ were quite considerably below those of last year, and in this they followed the pattern of most of the other fairs 1 of the present season. Top price of £4 17s 6d was well below the 1955 , best, which was £7 10s. This season’s top-priced pen of 270 was sold on ac- ; count of A. F. and J. D. Marr, of Longfield. Methven (who were the vendors of the top pen in 1955 and 1954). Their tops this year were once again a top-quality line of well-bred . Romneys, brought out in excellent order, and a credit to their breeders. ’ The larger entry of two-tooths, plus the extremely prolonged drought conditions which still prevail, were ; governing factors in the price range, but even so, this was a little disap- • pointing, and was below Ashburton . and Little River rates for two-tooths. ' The demand for quality sheep was ; Nevertheless fairly steady, when the various factors are taken into account. 1 As at other recent fairs, it was patent that the present outlook for winter feed was a deterrent to bidders. Apart from the highest-priced pen 1 at £4 17s 6d, there were several • prices at more than £4. Second best . price was £4 12s for 10 Romney two- ' tooths sold on account of W. J. Cur- ; rie, of Winchmore. These sheep were also of excellent quality. Another good price was £4 7s 6d for 90 sold ' on account of R. B. McMillan and Son (Winchmore); while £4 7s was paid for 85 sold on account of W. K. Wilson and Sons (Mount Hutt)., Nine other pens exceeded the £4 mark, and in each case these were Romneys or Romney cross. Best price for fine-wools was 71s for ■ 75 Corriedales sold by G’. H. Watson (Barton). Average and inferior two-tooths were hard to sell, and there were several passings where buyers were reluctant to meet the market. Quality for quality, the rates were below Little : River and Ashburton sales. The offering in general, came forward in good order, and reflected great credit on i the vendors. Older Ewes Older ewes met a fairly buoyant demand, in comparison with the two- . tooth offering, but the rates were generally a little below those of other ! recent fairs, such as Ashburton and Little River. Also, as has been the case elsewhere, values were a good deal below last year’s rates. Outstanding price among the older division was 70s for a very attractive pen of 1-32 four-year Romneys sold on account of the Lands and Survey Department’s Rosehill block. Another good price was 54s for a pen of 48 shorn mixed-age ewes sold by A. W. McLeod (Thorndale), while 57s was paid for a pen of 100 four-year ewes offered on account of J. E. McKenzie (Mount , Somers). Quite a number of four-year-olds sold at prices from 40s to : 455. Best prices for five-year-old ewes was 455, which was paid in two instances; for 224 Romney ewes sold on account of Lands and Survey Depart- < ment (Rosehill block), and for 281 Romneys on account of B. H. Pridie The Lands and Survey Department also sold another line of 134 five-year ewes from the Rosehill . block at 435. Other good prices for ' this age group were 41s for 173 Romneys sold by B. Cottrell (Mount Hutt), and 42s for 136 sold on account of T. L. Lucas (Creekdale). An interesting fact was that a line of station : Merino five-year-old ewes sold at above last year’s rates for similar sheep. This line was the annual draft of 291 ewes on account of J. R. Todhunter (Lake Heron), and sold at 27s to 325, to exceed last year’s rate by about 2s a head. Most of the finewoolled lines sold at below last year’s rates, however. The range of prices, with last year’s for Comparison, was:—

rwo-tooths Pyne. Gould, Guinness Ltd., sold, on account of:— Henderson (Lyndhurst): 70 Romney at B- Cotterell (Mount Hutt): 46 Romnev •t /4s. at L 4 Cha P ma n (Inverary): 80 Romney J. G. Lilley and Son (Lyndhurst): 63 Romney-Corriedale crossbred at 74s 103 ?™5. ey H Cr< f s J > A red at 80s - and 81 Romney crossbred at 70s. J. R. Griggand Son (Alford Forest): 19 Romney at aos. and 75 Romney at 78s Currie (Winchmore): 90 Romney ~ J 1?, J I ?T’ ncy at 65s - 88 Romney at 80s, and 110 Romnev at 92s »t ß 7s?' (^a 'marama): 92 Romney ai /zs. and 59 Romnev at 70s Bomn J ey C L a t rk 7r s n a ° d S ° n < ra^a " da >: «• at l ®?” Br ° S ' ' Windwhis tle): 113 halfbrea Son ' w “chmore>: - ° alget , v and Company. Ltd. sold on account or:— Station (Rakaia Gorge): 76 Cornedale at oos. and 122 Corriedale at Bank ’ : 50 R °"'- at C an? c ?% bblc (Lyndhurst): 65 Romney S £nV S (te V rrOESbred at 81s - and «t T 49s E \^> ’Lauriston): 46 Corriedale « 49.. and 77 Romney crossbred at 595.

V. L. Dobson (Spaxton): 61 Romney at ■ 665. M. A. Brock (Lyndhurst): 39 Romney I at 70s. R. Law (Aberdeen): 7 Romney crossbred at 645. and 10 Romney at 645. i G. W. Grant (Methven): 26 Romney at 161 s. A. A. McLeod (Thorndale): 29 Romney jat 695. j G. H. Watson (Burton): 75 Corriedale ac 71s. ; A. J. McKay (Three Springs): 39 RomI ney at 545. | R. H. Ensor (Glenariffe): 33 Corriedale Jat 50s. j T. J. Perrv (Balrazie): 32 Romney at 755. ! W. R. Lock (Blackridge): 80 Romney at 635. New Zealand Farmers' Co-operative As- ■ sociation sold on account of:— P. G. Holmes: 50 Romney crossbred at : 70s. I Estate J. H. Ridge (Greenfields): 69 Rom- • r.ey crossbred at 465, 67 Romney cross- • bred at 465, and 90 Romney crossbred at ; 725. A. W. Taylor (Springfield): 26 Romney ; crossbred at 575. A. F. and J. D. Marr (Longfield): 270 | Romney at 97s 6d. W. E. Law (Pinelea): 47 Romney at b7s | 6d. J. W. Reader (Stonehaven): 99 Romney 'at 655. R. F. Fryer (Highbank): 67 Romney at 765. V. W. Wright (The Glebe): 75 Romney crossbred at 82s 6d. New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency sold, on account of:— Mrs H. Poff (Pinedale. Mount Hutt;: 75 Romney cross at 80s, 71 Romney cross at 665. and 74 Romney crossbred at 80s. R. G. Holmes (Happy Valley): 73 Romney at 60s. D. R. Barlass (Methven): 41 Romney at i 655. and 86 Romney at 725. j F. W. Ferguson (Methven): 85 Romney I crossbred at 755. and 79 Romney at 655. National Mortgage and Agency sold, on • account of:— J. T. Oram (Methven): 59 Romney at ■ 68s 6d, and 53 Romney at 635. W. L. Greenslade (Hill View): 33 Romney at 545. D. Stevens (Mount Somers): 26 Romney at 50s. 153 Romney-at 565, and So Romney at 625. V. C. Chambers (Lyndhurst): 97 Romney at 665. W. K. Wilson and Sons (Mount Hutt). 85 Romney at EZs. D. Dalton (Methven): 91 Romney at 68s 6d. Older Ewes Pyne. Gould, Guinness Ltd., sold, on account of:— E. Cottrell (Mt. Hutt): 173 five-year Romney at 41. J. R. Grigg and Son (Alford Forest): 60 six and eight-tooth at 445, 125 fouryear at 38s. B. M. Murdoch (Ashburton Forks): 50 five-year Romney at 31s, 151 five-year at 345. G. A. P.ountree (Springburn): 95 fiveyear at 31s 6d. Lands and Survey Department (Rosehill): 132 four-year at 70s. 134 five-year Romney at 435, 138 four-year at 60s. W. G. Trengrow (Mt. Hutt): 100 fiveyear at 29s G. R. Fittock (Bushside): 90 five-year at 30s. L. P. Chapman (Inverary): 87 four-year halfbred at 30s, 143 four-year at 365. B. McK. Smith (Carlisle): 90 Corriedale at 28s. Lands and Survey Department (Rosehill): 224 five-year at 455. Winterslow Station: 184 four, six, and eight-tooth at 31s. 157 halfbred at 26s 6d. B. H. Pridie (Waimarama): 281 fiveyear at 455. Logan Bros. (Windwhistle): 142 fouryear at 41s, 180 five-year halfbred at 325. H. R. Huddleston (Ht. Hutt): 45 fiveyear Romney at 40s, 139 four-year at 475. F. H. Syme (Springburn): 155 five-year at 335. E. S. Johnston (Westward Ho): 150 fiveyear at 28s. S. Pawsey (Springburn): 103 four-year halfbred at 30s. Winterslow Station: 217 halfbred at 265, 136 four, six and eight-tooth at 265. Dalgety and Co., td., sold, on account of: D. L. Ensor (Glenrock): 195 five-year Corriedale at 30s. 343 four-year Corriedale at 445. R. J. Low (Aberdeen): 9 mixed-age at 30s. 23 at 425. F. J. Woods (Highbank): 41 two-shear at 40s. 79 four-year at 345. Bayfield Estate (Lake Coleridge): 70 halfbred at 295, 409 halfbred at 34s to 38s. A. W. McLeod (Thorndale): 48 mixedage at 545. W. D. Weir (Mt. Hutt): 100 at 28s 6d, 129 at 435. Jas. Scott (Windwhistle): 103 four and five-year halfbred at 30s. Double Hill Station (Rakaia Gorge): 109 four-year Corriedale at 295, 124 fiveyear Corriedale at 22s 6d, 355 four-year Corriedale at 335. R. H. Ensor (Glenariffe): 299 four-year Corriedale at 31s. D. J. McKay (Three Springs): 87 mixedage at 345. Estate L. L. Richards (Mt. Hutt): 403 five-year halfbred at 33s 6d. V. L. Dobson (Spaxton): 95 five-year at 32s 6d. J. R. Todhunter (Lake Heron): 291 Merino at 27s to 325. G. A. Rountree (Alford Forest): 56 mixed-age Romney at 265, 56 two-shear at 51s. 118 four-year at 38s. B. R. Chambers (Barrhill): 80 four and five-year at 265. National Mortgage and Agency sold, on account of:— D. Stevens (Mt. Somers): 52 four and six-tooth at 535, 51 four-year at 465. J. E. McDonald (Steephill): 115 halfbred four and five-year at 345. EG*- Grant (Buccleugh): 140 four-year at 48s. A. T. Smith and Son (Springburn): 155 four and five-year at 335. W. L. Greenslade (Hill View): 90 fiveyear at 275. o A. J. McLaughlin and Son (Riverbank): 248 four-year at 395. W. E. Tilley (Terrace Downs): 61 halfbred five-year at 30s. New Zealand Farmers’ Co-operative Association sold, on account of:— A. W. Taylor (Methven): 100 at 355. J. W. Leader (Stonehaven): 93 four and five-year at 33s „, F - R'z. L / ster (Singletree): 72 five-year at. 345. 136 five year at 425. 32 R. F. Fryer (Highbank): 94 five-year at kucas (Creekdale): 80 five-year at l^ 0 *' Banks (Lyndhurst): 60 five-year Stevens (Highbank): 67 five-year New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency sold, on account of:— A - G. Rowlinson (Enfield): 80 fouryear at 375. W T. Ley (Puddinghill): 249 four-year at 51s. Wright, Stephenson, and Co., Ltd., sold on account of:— J. E McKenzie Mt. Somers): 100 fouryear at 575.

Two-tooths 1955 1956 Extra good .. 101 to 150 S. a. 80 to 97 j Good .. 83 to 100 65 to 76 Medium .. 72 to 86 56 to 64 Others .. 51 to 70 42 to 55 Four-year-olds Good to extra good 66 to 88 56 to 70 Medium .. 48 to 64 47 to 55 Others .. 22 to 46 20 to 46 Five-year-olds Good .. 42 to 62 30 to 45 Others .. 22 to 37 19 to 29 Principal sales were:— Two-tooths