Good Clearance Of Ewes At Modest Rates

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31304, 25 February 1967, Page 19

Good Clearance Of Ewes At Modest Rates

Values were at fairly modest levels when the Ashburton County breeders’ ewe fair continued at Tinwald yesterday with the sale of the older ewes, but the sale was considered to be a reasonably satisfactory one. In the view of some observers it was better than had been expected.

A sizeable proportion of the offering comprised Romneys and of course these sheep are not at present meeting such a keen inquiry as they have done in the past on account of the depressed market for the coarser wools, but a pleasing feature erf the sale was the almost complete clearance made at auction. This contrasted strongly with the position in some recent drought years when a high percentage of the offering was passed in at auction. Some of the auctioneers commented that there seemed to be more competition for these older ewes than there had been at the earlier sales of two-tooths and ewe lambs.

Better Standard

The offering yesterday totalled 15,173 compared with 19,669 last year and about two-thirds of yesterday’, selection comprised annua! draft Romney and fine wool ewes. The Tinwald ewes of this age group are never the most attractive proposition to buyers because of their age and very often the low state of their teeth, but if anything this year’s selection was considered to be of a better standard than has frequently been seen at this fair. Reflecting the favourable season for feed the ewes were invariably well grown and in forward condition—perhaps condition was too good sometimes.

Values were much lower than at last year's fair but indicative of the relatively better demand existing now for fine wool sheep these showed a lessor decline and wore often only Ids or so cheaper than last year, whereas for Romneys the drop sould bo 20s and more.

There were comparatively few pens carded as tour-year-olds. For tbs few Romneys in this category values ranged from 50s to 60, 6d. The top price went to V. C. Latimer, of Shepherds Bush, for 96. Last year Mr Latimer was also among the top money but then his leading price was 955. All of the four-year-old line wool ewes were from Mrs H. E. Wright and Son of Tenahaun, Montalto. and these were halfbred, which brought from 47, to 52s id. The best of tbe Svo-yoar-old Romneys raeltoid from 45s to 50s, with avsrags to good making from 41a to 43a and other. Brothers (Ruepuna) restored 45s for 133. Among a limited number ef pens of five-year-old fine wool ewes all but one of the sales lay between 31s 6d and 39,. The exception was a pen of 95 Corriedales from F. G. Rickard (Riverside) which sold for 555.

Annual Draft Kwee

The annual draft ewes predominated in the selection and in the case of both Romney and fine wool sheep the great majority of sales were made between 30s and 60s with only a handful of sales being made In excess of the 50s mark. Ths tops of the Romney annual draft owes made from 50, to 555, with good at 42s to 48s “nd averTge'at 31s to 38s. Alford Station, Ltd., of Ashburton Forks, led the way here. For 310 ths price at auction was 55s and for another ISO « 545. The estate J. R. Hewson (Anama) had 310 at «s 6d—last year they were paid up to 70s—and sales at 47a were made by the estate W. S. Green,lade (Montalto) for 123, by D. W. Reily (Valetta) for 140, and R. J. Mathieson (Cravendale) tor 224. The best of the flne wool annual draft ewe, were also sold from 50s to 545, with good at 43, to 495, and others at 34s to 40s. A. B. Chlsnall. of Ashton, sold pen, of 105 and 114 Corriedales at 54s and 53s respectively, C. P. Wright, of wlncbmore, bad 351 at 53, and Ellon Farm (Montalto) 221 at 52s 6d. A small selection of RomneyCorriedales sold from 37s to 48s 6d, with the top money going to D. S. Sewell, of Mayfield, for 113. Only one pen of Border

Leicester-Romney was sold at auction. It made 40s 6d. Another pen of this breeding was passed in. Four pens of three-quarter-breds brought from 30s to 44s 6d, with Miss F. Hulme. of Tinwald, selling 134 at 44s 6d.

Mixed aged Romneys sold up to 65s for 181 four-tooths from Donald Brothers (Westerfield). J. B. Barrett, of Anama, also sold 50 four-tooths at 625. For 140 three-shears E. Ludermann, of Eiffelton, was paid 565, and 88 four, six and eight-tooths from the estate W. S.. Greenslade (Montalto) realised 535. Mixed aged fine wool ewes sold

up to 54s for 68 Corriedales from T. L. Williams, of Racecourse road, Ashburton.

The following la a range of values for annual draft ewes, with valued for last year also being given for comparison:

Romney* 1967 * to • 1961 • to B Best .. 50 55 65 76 Good .. 42 48 60 65 Average 31 38 50 58 Fine Wools Best 50 54 M 65 Good .. 43 49 50 55 Others 34 40 35 42