Tekapo fine wool sheep values mainly up again

Press, 25 February 1980, Page 23

Tekapo fine wool sheep values mainly up again

Mackenzie Country fine wool producers had another-good day when they disposed of their surplus stock at the annual Tekapo jjwe Fair on‘the shores of thelake. Values had improved over last year over, the various sections of the sale, by about 36, to 60 per cent. There was a similar trend this year, with values lifting for several classes of sheep by 29 per cent to' 46 per cent. However, whe.reas some vend, ors were being paid $lO and more per head, in • advance of prices they received last year, the gain over last year wa s riot evenly, spread .and there were cases where people did not even get as much for their sheep as last year. .■ ? ■ . The yarding was disposed of quickly and together with some empty pens, gave the impression that it was "a short one. Certainly it was not one of the biggest seen at Tekapo, but it w:as still bigger than last' year bv about 1000 head at 20,512, including -2511 wether lambs,' 3238 eWe' lambs,' 58 mixed sex lambs, 1358 two-tooth eWes,'2lo two and four-tooth ewes, 672 two-tooth wethers, 91 four and six-tooth wethers, 63 mixed sex two-toOth, 1224 annual draft wethers, and 11.087 annual draft ewes. . According to Mackenzie Country sources, ' the season has been a good one for rainfall and growth, even-in'the traditionally dry areSs. . ;' • ' -In fact, ■some of the gorge areas have had an embarrassment of moisture, and this and tlie present good prices for Merino wool were probably > responsible for the entry not being a large one. with stock being held back. Tlie sale was the second of the fairs to be held on a Friday instead of the usual Saturday, and while people interested fn’buying sheep still cante to the sale from quite distant parts there were not as many onlookers as there used to be. and eetrtainlv far- fewer children. However, a few travellers pass, Jng through called in on . the sale —one a rancher- from Colorado tn his big hat. A young overseas couple were heard to inquire' cautiously whether the price was per pen or per sheep. . Sheen went to Centra! Otago, iumsdeni mid -and North • Canterbury, and a few to Marlbor°UThe . day., perhaps, did not help the attendance. It was dull, not the usual dry. hot .Mackeniin -day, and. a little, moisture in file air sometimes made jerseys ne Th'e S sal» began with the lambs. M-st of th" wether lambs were an-t while for seven pons Of the sam° vendors sheen ’ M joct week an.d five nans sold th" gain on this occasion w-s 27 bend, or 29.2 cent, s"me vendors recorded o'" the last- fair o' be-f-iveVn <7 rih-1 ‘■fi per head. Those Je ; e"’'ov-'' ? a good sate, P /?sZ'be«t of the Mereo. wether tnmhs re-i’Vert f-wSW'ttF ?20. ’-st rear the ton money ri.L. cia.Tri, '--Avoregc to g""ri ».&u<«ht 'from al ' out l* l2 -to 91amade from about Cr««»k station, which T - 17 ro s’t.’n last year. S nM the Fr’d? v for $2O. 3->fi y SIP3O, and 199 at SlO./a. 1

Their average for 733 was $13.96. Simons Pass also had 148 at $l9, which compared with their best money last year of $12.70. Kor another 281 they received §14.50 and. ■ for 216 $10.75. They averaged $14.30 for 645. •In the Halfbred wether, lamb catergory Tasman Downs sold 132 at $14.?0. which compared with their top figure of $ll last year. Border Merino cross lambs formed about. half of the ewe lamb entry and they sold particularly well, with the tops making a handsome $28.50 to $31.50, with'others mainly in the $l2 to $13.10 price range but reaching up to $l9. A comparison of sheep sold by the same vendors this'year, and last year showed that prices this year were up on average by $6.43 or 37.5 per cent. ’ ' ’•

Irishman Creek had another big lift with 234 selling at $31.50, compared with $17.80 last year, and for another 164 ewe lambs their price was $25.50. Gienmore station, which reached to $17.20 a year ago, sold 462 this time at $28.90 and Simons Pass had 284 at $28.50, compared with $18.25 a year ago, and 124 at $15.10. ,

. There were only four pens of Merino ewe lambs and they sold quite modestly, making to $13.50 and mainly bringing from $10.70 to $11.30 and down to $5.75. Last year they, brought to $8.40, which was the price received by Grays Hills,. who this time sold 320 at $13.. Black Forest station also sold 504 at $13.50 and 136 at $10.70. For Halfbred ewe lainbs Tasman Downs received from $9.25 to 513.70 for 132. and Simons Hill $11.30 for 270. Black Forest also sold 103 Romncv-Halfbreds at $13.80 to 516.75. For a handful of mixed sexj iambs prices ranged, from $8.70 to $10.75. The two-tooth. Halfbred ewe section had the distinction ot showing the biggest improvement on last year of any single section. For a selection of sheep from the same stations sold at each fair tie advance this year averaged 59.46, or 46.5 per cent. The best of the selection were selling from $3O to $34.50. with good making from 524 to $29, and others down to 518.50. One hundred and forty-five two-tooths from Bauehops Hili realised $34.50) compared with $23 last year. The Wolds sold 156 at . $32.25. compared with $19.50 a year ago. Marybiirn received $30.50 for .110 and Mount John had 102 at $29, compared with $18.20 at the last fair.

The sale was not so strong for the young Merino ewes, some of which made about the same as last year and some actually.less. The bulk made from $l3 to Sl4. Gravs Hills had 104 at $19.25, Mount Hay-Balmoral-121 at $l4. which was the same as last year. Gmahan 99 at $13.75. Gienmore 88 pt $13.25, and Glentanner 110 at $13.. . . ' Among mixed aged ewes Sfre?ihiands were out in front with 137 two and four-tooth Merinos bringing $2675. which was no Slightly more than. S 3 On last year, and Mount HayBalmoral bad 48 four-tooth Merinos at $17.50. " Ont of sfx pens of two-tooth Merino wethers the best brought: from $15.50 to $17.25, with the

balance of the selection selling from $11.75 to $l4. Last year these sheep made from $10.40 to $14,901 Grays Hills sold. 94 at $17.25 and Mount Hay-Balmoral 141 at $15.50, compared with $13.25 a year ago. A handful of two-tooth Halfbred wethers from Coolgardie station sold for $22, compared with $l7 last year.

Grays Hills realised $18.50 for 101 four-tooth Merino wethers and Mount John $lB for 31 mixed age Halfbreds. ' ’ . 1 There were five pens of annual draft Merino wethers and these brought mainly from §l3 to §l6, with .others, down to $11.25. A year ago the price range for these sheep, was between $10.50 and $13220. The Gramplans sold 250 at $l6 and Curraghmore .252 at the same money, and Gienmore sold _206 four-shears at $13.75 to §15.25. The older ewes made up well over half of the total entiy. While the sale for. the Halfbreds was very strong, that for MerinOs was a little variable with some vendors making $lO and more- in advance of. their returns last year, while others did not do as well. Actually, over- seven pens of Merino ewes sold this year and six last year from the same stations, the advance was only 40c per head, or 2 per cent, but some vendors received prices that were 50 per cent and more up oh last year.

The top sheep made to $31.25, compared with §21.60 a year ago. Good sold from about $l5 to §2l, average from about $l3 to 15, and others from $lO to $l2. There was one sale at $7.75.

Streamlands headed the sale with 379 at $31.25 (last year they realised to $21.60), Mount Cook sold 172 three-shear Merinos at $3O (last year they sold ewes at up to $19.40). Coxs Downs realised $21.50 for 131. Gienmore from $15.50 to §1750 for 856 With 200 at the top price (last year to $16.75), Irishman Creek $l7 for 450, Grays Hills 903 at $l4 to §15.50 (last year up to $18.50), Simons Pass 277 at §15.50. Curraghmore 240 at $15.50 (last year up to' $20.50), and Black Forest 622 at $l5. F'or Halfbred and Corriedale annual draft ewes, for seven pens sold this’ year the average lift over six pens of the same vendors’ sheep sold last year was $7.08, or 433 per cent, with the best making from $25 to §27, good $2O to §24, and others down to §13.75. Simons Pass had 167 at $27.50, Maryburn, which received up to 517.10 last year, sold -550 last week at $25.50 and 225 at $23. The Wolds, which made to $17.50 at the last fair, had 681 on this occasion, which brought from §23,75 to 524, and Simons Hill, which realised to $l6 last year, received up to $23.20 for their offering on this occasion.. .