Catalogue of 65 lots from four breeders

Press, 23 June 1978, Page 17

Catalogue of 65 lots from four breeders

Four Cheviot cattle breeders have combined to hold the district’s first annual bull sale on Thursday, July 13. Until three months ago, it had been hoped to hold the sale at the Cheviot Show Ground, but an objection- by the Health Department forced them to seek an alternative. Now the sale will be held on the property of Messrs J. D. Caldwell and Son, of Winchenden, about 4km south of the township.

The other vendors, Messrs D. S. Latter, P. D. H. Bush and the Mendip Hills station,' are assisting in building additions to Mr Caldwell’s cattle yards, so that the offering of 65 head can be offered in penlots of up to four beasts.

It will be a typical onfarm sale, with an adja-

cent haybain being utilised for buyer accommodation during the auction.

A Christchurch firm is fabricating a selling ring, and this no doubt will have future use when a permanent selling site is determined.

The vendors are optimistic about the prospects of their sale. It will come at a time when the export beef market has made a distinct turn for the better: this, in turn is expected to reflect in better store cattle and calf prices in the next 12 months. Sales further south have been relatively good, with rises On last year. The Shorthorn sale at Timaru recently was a good illustration of the better trend to be expected. The minimum opening bid for this year’s sale at Cheviot has been set at

$3OO, which means that the auctioneers will open at $250. Thereafter, it will be an unreserved sale. Accounts will not be sen-t out to buyers until September .when they will be due on the twentieth of that month. Until now, the four vendors have been selling privately. Their reason for “going public” is that it will give the public a better selection; the time involved in private selling will be obviated, and the sale itself .will be another event in the district.

Mr Caldwell explained this week that private selling became more difficult as the number of bulls bred increased. A prospective buyer might be eighth on the seller’s list, yet may well seek the best bull. This sale would give that person the opportunity to buy the bull

of his choice, without any animals having already been sold. AU bulls will be inspected beforehand by breed society inspectors. In conformity with today’s requirements, the sale animals come fron tuberculosis and brucellosis-free herds.

The sale is set down for 1 p.m. The Cheviot Plunket Society will provide lunch, and members of the local Rugby club will operate a bar in the adjacent woolshed and covered yard.

Because of the confined area in which they will be working, the vendors would prefer to give ery the day after the sale. By this time, transport arrangements will then be known, and the animals can be sorted accordingly.