ALDINGTON MARKET Weaker inquiry for breeding ewes

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 32861, 9 March 1972, Page 19

ALDINGTON MARKET Weaker inquiry for breeding ewes

Only the best of the two-tooth and adult breeding ewes met a firm sale at the Addington market yesterday. Others were distinctly easier. Quality, however, was very plain, particularly in the two-tooth section.

Store lambs were also easier, but quality here was much plainer, with many of the entry showing the effects of the dry conditions.

The store sheep yarding ; was 23,850, compared with 21,890 last week. It consisted of 9630 wether lambs, 1220 ewe lambs, 5700 two-tooth ewes and 7300 adult ewes. Outside buying interest was strong at the first of the special sales of store cattle. The biggest of the station steers sold to $165, and there were odd sales of 20-month-old cattle at more than $l3O. Store lambs Store lambs continued to meet a good inquiry, although the market, apart from the better lots, was not regarded as being as strong as last week. The yarding was one of the largest of the season, and many of the lambs reflected the very dry conditions now prevailing in most Canterbury districts. A lot of them were in hard condition, and very dry in the coats. A small gallery followed the sale for most of the day, but buying power was good. Any lambs in forward condition sold particularly well, and there were again some sales approaching $4.50 or more. Some of the plainer and carryover lambs were back 20c to 30c on last sale, but any decline was mainly because of the decline in quality. Best Corriedale wether lambs sold from $3.85 to $4.20, with odd sales to $4.45; medium from $3.40 to $3.70, and small carry-over lambs from $2.80 to $3.20. The best of a small selection of Romneys reached $4.95, and any other Romneys of reasonable quality easily reached $4. A large number of shorn lambs were included, and any in reasonable condition sold very freely. The best of a line of 3000 shorn Romney cross lambs from Waiau reached $4.10, and there were frequent sales at about $3.50. More Down cross lambs were forward than for some weeks, but like the rest of the yarding, most of them were in hard condition. There were frequent sales at $3.80 to $4.30, with odd lots to $4.60, and smaller, plainer lots at $3 to $3.50 range. Sales of store lambs included: Wethers.—A. L. De Lambert (Cheviot), 192 Corriedales at $3.85 to $4.20; Birch Hill (Okuku), 200 Romneys at $4.45 to $4.95; Lands and Survey Department (Ohaura), 250 Romneys at $4.45 to $4.70; Lands and Survey Department (Cheddar Valley), 2929 shorn Romney cross at $2.50 to $4.10; N. A. Vowles (Hamner Springs), 59 halfbreds at $3.90; Mount Vulcan, Ltd (Omihl), 465 shorn Corriedales at $3.10 to $3.75; A. G. Wilkie (Ashley), 28 halfbreds at $3.60 to $5.45; C. H. Gilmour (Lyttelton), 36 Down cross at $4.35 to $4.55; R. Manson (Lincoln), 42 shorn Romneys at $4.30; N. H Finney (Amberley), 232 halfbreds at $3.50 to $4.10, 198 Down cross at $3.90 to $4.40; [A. J. Murray (Glentui), 353 Down cross at $4.30 to $4.50; L. Waghorn (Charlton), 214 Down cross at $3.75 to $4.60; H. M. Stevens (Cheviot), 73 Corriedales at $3.80; N. A. Riddle (Omihl), 360 Corriedales at $3.75 to $4.15; estate I. O. Buchanan (High Peak), 580 halfbreds at $3.25 to $4.05; A. G. Lawrence (Hawarden), 250 Corriedales at $3.20 to $3.60; B. K. Macfarlane (Parnassus), 200 Corriedales at $3.40 to $3.70. Ewes.—N. A. Riddle (Omihl), 200 Corriedales at $3.65 to $4.15. Two-tooth ewes Two-tooth ewes had a much harder sale. The entry occupied the best part of four races, and .many of them were of very plain quality. In spite of the small gallery following the sale, a small selection of top pens again sold well, but most of the remainder were 30c to 40c easier. Quite a number of the plainer sheep changed hands at less than $5. Good average .Corriedales sold from $6.50 to $7, with a few top

pens to $8.30; medium ranged from $5.50 to $6.20 and small and plainer from $4.50 to $5.20. As in the fine-woolled section, Romneys met a realistic sale. Only the top pens drew good competition. Others were much harder selling, and compared with last week’s market they were 50c easier. The best of the entry reached $8.20, and there were a few sales at $7, or more, but those Romneys not showing a lot of size changed hands at $5.70 to $6.30.

Sales of two-tooth ewes included:—

Ravelston Properties (Kirwee), 432 Corriedales at $6 to $8.30; Department of Agriculture (Templeton), 206 Romneys at $6.90 to $8.20; D. C. Hay (Pigeon Bay) 81 Romneys at $7; Lynton Downs, Ltd (Kaikoura). 173 Romneys at $6.05 to $6.25; estate G. L. Rutherford (Parnassus), 83 Romneys at $7 JO; Maitland Partnership (Port Levy) 110 Romneys at $5.65 to $6.10; Mendip Hills Station (Parnassus), 169 Corriedales at $6 to $6.15; A. B. Byrch (Motunau), 40 Corriedales at $6.25; L C. Macintosh (Walpara), 56 Corriedales at $6.10; J. P. O’Carroll, Harwarden, 84 Corriedale at $6.10; S. E. and F. E. King (Sheffield) 110 Romneys at $6.50.

Adult sheep Adult sheep had a much weaker sale. As in the two-tooth section, the gallery was not large, and with the exception of some of the annual draft Romneys, all ewes were easier by 30c to 40c. For quality it was a plain yarding, although there was again a useful selection of Romneys. But quite a number of the fine-woolled ewes were lightcondltiond, and some of them very doubtful in the feet. The best of the annual draft Romneys sold from $4.30 to $4.75, with older ewes at $3.60 to $4. No high prices were paid for halfbreds or Corriedales. A line of mixed-aged ewes, shorn early in the summer, sold to $4.60, but only a small selection bettered the $4 mark. A large number of the plainer and light ewes ranged from $3.20 to $3.70, and there were odd sales as low as $2. Sales of adult sheep included: Eva Price Partnership (Foranui), 100 four-year-old Corriedales at $3.50, 141 five-year-old Romney-Corriedales at. $4.65; H. R. Rutherford (Hawarden), 125 mixed aged halfbreds at $4.10 to $4.30; estate L. D. Stanbury (Walnul), 82 four-year-old Romneys at $5.75; A. D. McNabb (Cheviot), 131 annual draft Corriedales at $3.95; D. and E. Baynton (Waiau), 152 Romneys at $3 to $4.30; A. A. Macfarlane (Rotherham), 266 Corriedales at $3.60 to $4.65. Store cattle A yarding of 1570 head was offered at the first of the special sale for store cattle. These drew strong buying inquiry from Otago and Southland buyers, and the sale was regarded as most satisfactory for vendors. The principal sale was that of 653 2J-vear-old steers from the Bluff Station (Kekerengu). The best of them reached $165, and the average for the line was $137.22. Other principal sales included 300 18 and 20-month-old cattle from C. W. Humm and Sons, of Walkuku, at $95 to $117; 129 adult Hereford steers from T. and J. Barrett (Lewis Pass), at $l2l to $l5B, and 193 18 and 20-month-old steers from A. F. S. Rutherford (Montrose), at $lO9 to $125. Otago and Southland buyers showed main interest in the adult steers, and a large propportion of this class of beast went south. South Canterbury and Banks Peninsula buyers bought most of the 20-month-old cattle. Apart from the Peninsula buying from local districts was restricted as the feed situation is limited.

Sales of store cattle included: Twenty-month-old steers: R. H. M. Johnston (Ashley Gorge), 56 Hereford and Angus cross at $99 to $111; R. G. Humm (TaiTapu), 42 Shorthorn, Hereford and Angus cross at $96 to $128; G. E. Gray (Goose Bay), 9 Angus cross at $111; S. J. Chaffey (Kekerengu), 18 Herefords at $122 to $137; Matariki Farm Account (Clarence Bridge), 19 Here-

fords at $l2O to $129; E. J. D. Good (Kekerengu), 20 Herefords at $lOl to $115; H. M. Good (Kekerengu), 69 Herefords at $lOO to $ll3.

Adult steers: J. G. Laidlaw (Oaro), 34 Hereford and Angus cross at $145 to $158; W. M. Dowle (Goose Bay), 29 Herefords at $l2B to $139; Cranalea Farm (Domett), 10 Angus cross at $l2B.