Tekapo fine-wool fair not up to expectations

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33776, 24 February 1975, Page 10

Tekapo fine-wool fair not up to expectations

Considering the strong tone of some of the early ewe fairs this season. the big fine-wool fair held at Lake Tekapo on Saturday was not quite as good as some had expected. A factor which could have played a part in this is the present cost of carting sheep; to some of the distant districts which commonly support this fair. Nevertheless, many sheep still went to Central Otago and also MidCanterbury, and there were purchases, too, for North Canterbury. Marlborough interests were also represented at the fair. A point in favour of the Merino sheep in the entry was that the wool from these sheep has been selling relatively better than other classes this season. The offering was about 2000 head fewer than a year ago, but still totalled about’ 25,747 head. It included 4838: wether lambs, 3656 ewe ! lambs. 433 mixed-sex lambs, 1924 two-tooth ewes, 543: two and four-tooth ewes,: 802 two-tooth wethers, 91' two and four-tooth wethers,;

200 four-shear wethers, 2394; annual draft wethers, and for a year now, the sheep came forward in very good 10,866 annual draft ewes. After an excellent spring l in the Mackenzie Country. , and favourable conditions for a year now, the sheep came forward in very good order and possibly in ( slightly better condition than in previous vears. However, after a run' of dry years, some of the older ewes might have been lower in the mouth than usual, with a consequent effect on their J value. GOOD CLEARANCE But there was a demand for|l virtually everything, and even large pen lots were not often ( split between buyers, even it • E rices were a little lower than ad been hoped for. I The sale was followed by a , large gallery; and in contrast to 1 conditions in many places on Sat- i urday, it was fine, and in the a.tcinoon quite warm. The sale began with wether lambs. For Merinos, there were' none of the fancy prices paid j last year, For six pens sold on j Saturday, there was a 54 per cent' drop in the average level oi i values compared with a similar I number of pens of the same ven dors’ sheep sold last year. The best of the Merino wether ] lambs brought from 55.80 to: 56.60, with average to good at! $4 to 55.20. and others at $3.50 ‘ to $4. Irishman Creek station, which | topped the sale a year aeo with sales at $15.10 and $15.20, sold 476 on Saturday at $6.60 and another 461 at 53.80. Simons Pass station, which realised up to $l2 last year, realised $6.20 on this; occasion for 506, and Glenmore; station sold 465 at $6.10. A single offering of threeouarterbred wether lambs made 84.10. Of the ewe lambs, the Border Leicester-Merino cross had the best sale. They showed the least decline on a year ago, five pens | on Saturday showing a drop of i only 33 per cent on sheep from, the same station sold last year For the bigger selections of! those lambs, prices ranged from $8.70 to 110. with smaller pen I lots making from $3.10 to $7. Glenrock realised $lO for 1721 whereas last year the station j had a sale at $13.40. Simons Pass, which shared top price last year of $l5, sold 301 on Saturday a ‘ $9.80. and another 121 at $8.70.1 Glenmore, which also sold at Str I last year, sold 210 ’his vear r‘ i 5».50 and Haldon Station sold 437 at $9.50, compared with $14.10 j last year. EWE LAMBS Merino and halfbred ewe lambs made more modest values, and on the basis of a comparison of a small selection of Merino ewr lambs from the same vendors! sold in each year, this year's | values were down about 39 to i

40 oer cent on last year. The best of the Merino ew» lambs made from $5.60 to $6.10 others ranging from about S3.5T' to S 5. Black Forest station sold 3491 on Saturday for 56.10. not far: sway from the 37 it received last year, but Haldon sold 271 this, time at 35.70 compared wtih 59.10 last year. Totara Peaks station also sold 147 at $5.60. There were onlv three pens of halfbred ewe lambs in the sale which made from 84.30 to 56.20 Simons Hill realising $6.20 for 219. Last 'ear, the station had a sal” of $10.30. Values for two-tooth ewes were a little disappointing considering some of the excellent! sales so far recorded at other fairs. Among the halfbreds. the best made from $9.90 to $10.30. most nf the others ranging from 57.20 to $B. Compared with last year, the average decline in prices for similar sheep was about 39 to 40 per cent. Simons Hill received 310.30 for 315, compared with up to $l7 last sear: Maryburn sold 148 at sit’-20. whereas last year it was

paid up to $17.10. The Wolds sold 176 at $lO, compared with; $15.60 at last year’s fair, and I Mount John sold 106 on Saturday at $9.90, Merino two-tooth ewes were ■ at modest levels. Apart from one pen which brought 59.20. the other four sold from $5,101 to 56.50. Values last year were: between about $9.20 and $13.75.' Black Forest, which topped the! market at $13.75 last year, sold, 250 on Saturday at $9.20. The, same station sold 85 four-tooths; at $8.25. and Streamlands Sta- . tion sold 98 two and four-tooths at $9 20. WETHERS With one exception, the offer-; ing of two-tooth Merino wethers sold from 55.60 to $6.40. compared with from 59.70 to $12.2-5 a year ago. Both Glenmore with 91 and the Mount Hay-Balmoral Partnership with 155 realised! $6.40. Irishman Creek sold 182 i at $6.30 For 91 two and four-tooth: Merino wethers. Grays HiUs station had a sale at $7.80. Only two pens of halfbred two. tooth wethers were offered, these making from $6.40 to $7.30, 'with Mount John selling 30 oneshears at $7.30. A year ago, wethers of this description made from $lO.lO to $15.10. For older wethers, demand was rather slack and prices also; at low levels. A small part of la big offering from Grays Hills i brought $6.25, compared with; $11.75 received a year ago.' Mount Cook station also sold 177 I i at $5. comoared with up to 1 ***-40 at the last fair, and

i Mount Hav-Balmoral sold 324 at .$4.10 to $4.30. I The best of these sheep sold from $5 to $6.25. Others made 1 from only $2.80 to $4.30. Last yea:, older wethers sold from $10.50 to $11.75. Farmer buyers took up the! old Merino ewe entry but again Hat fairly modest prices. The pick: of the selection made from $6.50 to $7.50, with one sale at $ll. but the average run of old ewes: .made from $3.50 to $5. and: ; others down to 52.30. Compared with a year ago, : comparably sheep sold at the: week-end showed a drop in price of about 41 per cent. Streamlands, which had sales: i a year ago at up to $16.50. realised Sil on Saturday for 200 and $7.50 for 162. Mount Cook also had 116 at $B. Grays Hills, which had sales a year ago to; i $12.60. sold 400 on Saturday at I 56.60 and 580 -at $6.50. Haldon alsc sold 125 at $5.60 and 255 at Ss.ao. WELL DOWN While the general level of values was a little better for! halfbred old ewes, a small part of Saturday’s entry was bringing! money about 52 per cent below that attained by the same vendors’ sheep a year ago. The best made from $6.70 to: 50.30, others selling mainly be-i !' tween $3.50 and $5.50. Airies sold 100 at $8.30 and 2281 at $7.60. Coolgardie 188 at $7.30,! i Single Hill 292 four and five-vear-olds at $6.90. Maryburn 576 at $6.80, and Bauchops Hill 168' at $6.70. A single pen of Border! I Leicester-Merino cross old ewes I Isold at $5.20. Last year, a pen' | sold at $9.50.