STORE SHEEP SALE

Press, Volume XCV, Issue 28180, 19 January 1957, Page 9

STORE SHEEP SALE

NEW FIXTURE AT CULVERDEN

A store sheep sale of annual draft ewes and lambs will be held at Culverden on February 19. Such an early sale has been advocated for some time by the Amuri branch of Federated Farmers.

Two years ago the branch asked that the date of the annual ewe fair held at Culverden should be advanced by two weeks—it would then have been held before the first Amberley ewe fajr—but this could not be agreed to. At the federation’s last provincial conference a remit was submitted asking for earlier ewe and ram fairs. After discussions with the high country section and stock and station agents, arrangements were made for earlier ram fairs, but on account of late lambing and weaning in the high country and the shortage of musterers in those regions runholders felt that they would not be able to get their ewes ready in time for earlier fairs, so that dates of ewe fairs have remained unchanged.

Several factors have been responsible for the demand for earlier fairs. With increased topdressing since the war and the demand for early light-weight lambs a big proportion of fatteners are now wanting their ewes earlier. Likewise, over a large area of the foothills tussock country, where topdressing has been carried out from the air and pastures are being greatly improved, lambs are now weaned earlier and ewes are ready to go earlier and a large proportion of these—the numbers are increasing each year—are finding their way to Addington. It is because foothills ewes are now available earlier and there is a growing demand from fatteners for earlier ewes for early lightweight lamb production, that the Amuri branch of Federated Farmers has been active in seeking earlier sales. The annual Culverden ewe fair will be held as usual this year. It is set down for March 7.