Good Two-Tooths In Demand At Rakaia

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28832, 28 February 1959, Page 7

Good Two-Tooths In Demand At Rakaia

Values at the Rakaia ewe fair yesterday for good useful sheep maintained the current values, and there was a ready sale for quality. While there was a large proportion of indifferent stock yarded, some very good ewes, particularly in the two-tooth section, came forward. The two-tooth entry had a better over-all standard than has been seen at the fair for many years, and most in the section were of good breeding and development. These met a ready sale and the average to good two-tooths, which were mostly fine-wools, sold at slightly better rates than at other fairs so far this season. Plain and inferior lines were not sought after, and passings were frequent for this class. * The older ewe offering was fairly motley, but there were six or seven pens of good useful farmers’ ewes sold. These met a moderate inquiry and the prices gained for these were more than comparable with recent rates.. The remainder of the section was largely made up of lines from unnamed vendors and had a fair proportion of ewes of doubtful age and usefulness. Many of these might not have made their appearance at the fair had there not been the present congestion at Canterbury freezing works. There was little inquiry for these and passings were fairly frequent. There was a clearance of about 3612 out of the total of 6028 offered at auction, excluding entries in the ram section. The entry was made up of 99 ewe lambs, 2587 two-tooth ewes, 597 four-year ewes, 291 five-year ewes, 1705 four and five-year ewes, 467 four, six apd eight-tooth ewes and 282 aged ewes. Last year’s total offering was 9506. An unfortunate feature of the Rakaia fair is the absence of cards attached to the pens indicating the vendor’s name, the breed of the sheep and their age during the sale. There seems little justification for the attaching ,of cards to some of the pens of sheep, which have already been advertised under the vendor’s name, and then removing the cards shortly _ before the sale begins. Rakaia is the only fair in the North and Mid-Can-terbury ewe fair circuit which does not show the vendor’s name at the time of auction. This was commented on by several buyers after the sale, and one well-known auctioneer, who has sold sheep at the Rakaia fair for many years, said that the labelling of other than dealers lines should have been done years ago. ’ . Top Prices The two-tooth section was topped by F. B. Magson (Somerton) with 60 Romney cross at 645. Norman Clark (Dorie) gained 56s for 77 Corriedales, and 76 Corriedales from C. G. Robinson (Moreton Marsh) changed hands For older ewes, C. G. Robinson sold 150 four and five-year Corriedales at 365. L. Johnson <Te Pirita) gained 35s for 145 Corriedales of similar age, K, O Connell (Te Pirita) sold 113 four-year. Cor-

riedaies at 34s and 203 five-year ewes from the same flock realised 27s 6d. For younger ewes, an undisclosed vendor gained 45b 6d for 66 four, six and eight-tooths and T. H. Hatton (Ashburton) gained 44s for 123 ewes of similar description. A pen of 99 three-quarter-bred ewe lambs from a Blenheim vendor changed hands at 26s fid. The following is a range of values obtained at the sale, with last year’s figures given for comparison:—• TWO-TOOTHS 1959 1958 Best 53s to 64s 89s to 99s Good .. 44s to 50s 80s to 87s Others 31s to 38s 53s to 78s OLDER EWES Best .. 30s to 36s 618 to 70s Good .. 27s to 29s 6d 53s to 60s Others 21 to 24s 30s to 46s The sale of a big yarding of rams which followed the ewe fair occupied about an hour and a half. The rams varied from low condition to very good and prices in accordance with quality were on a par with recent rates. Southdown - Border Leicester cross rams sold from Bgns to 1 Signs, Southdowns from 7gns to 23gns, South Suffolks lOgns to 15gns, Southdown-Ryelands Bgns to 15gns and Ryelands Bgns to 14gns.

Average to better Mies of named vendors lines were: TWO-TOOTH EWES Pyne, Gould, Guinness Ltd. sold, on account of: C. G. Robinson (Morton Marsh): 70 at 545, 60 at 495. F. B. Magson (Somerton): 60 at 645. T. Moore (Bankside): 80 at 375. Mrs F. R. Hood (Leafmore): 55 at 50s. Dalgety and Company, Ltd., sold, on account of: Norman Clark (Dorie): 77 at 565. NX Farmers' Co-operative Association. Ltd., sold, on account of: S. L Stewart (Kolmar): 84 at 495, 84 at 48s 6d. National Mortgage and Agency Company, Ltd. and H. Matson and Company, sold, on account of: L. Johnston (Te Pirita): 69 at 455, 69 at 445. OLDER EWES National Mortgage and Agency Company, Ltd., and H. Matson and Company, sold, on account of: L. Johnston (Te Pirita): 93 four and five-year at 27s 6d and 145 at 355. A. M. Stephens (Balrazie): 50 sound mouth ewes at 17s 6d. K. O’Connell (Te Pirita): 113 four-year at 345, 203 five-year at 27s Wright, Stephenson and Company, Ltd., sold, on account of: T. H. Hatton (Ashburton): 123 two and four-tooth at 445. N.Z, Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, Ltd., sold, on account of: W. G. Inch (Te Pirita): 78 four and five-year at 28s and 77 at 245. Dalgety and Company, Ltd., sold, on account of: E. A. Sargent(Dromore): 100 four and five year at 23s 6d and 89 at 21s 6d. Pyne, Gould, Guinness Ltd., sold, on account of: Mrs F. R. Hood (Leafmore): 50 four and five-year at 245. C. G. Robinson (Morton Marsh): 150 four and five-year at 38s, 100 at 24s and 25 at 21s.

H. O. Baker (Lowlands):. 160 four, six and eight-tooths at 255.