Reasonable sale for lambs and ewes

Press, 26 March 1981, Page 22

Reasonable sale for lambs and ewes

Only Romney lambs and ewes had a' reasonable sale at Addington market yesterday. Most of the young and adult sheep prices were back on recent sales. But Romney ewes improved by up to $1.50 and Romney lamb prices were similar to last week.

Farmers who decided to purchase breeding ewes at this stage of the season instead of paying higher prices earlier would have been disappointed. Certainly the ewes yarded yesterday were cheap enough but quality, with some exceptions, was not good. The best, price paid for Romney two-tooths was $25.10. Others were between $2O and $23 but most made less than $2O.

The I’erendale, Coopworth, and Corriedale breeds were not well represented and only one or two pens exceeded $2O. The adult ewe sale was des-

cribed as typical of sales at tile end of most summers.

Even the cheapest and lightest “rape” ewes, which in previous weeks had been reasonably easy to sell, were not sought yesterday. As has been the case at nearly every sheep sale this summer, the condition of the. old ewes offered determined the demand. Light-conditioned ewes were not wanted and because feed is so short in many areas, the buying, power at ewe sales has been seriously reduced. The lamb market also lacked buoyancy. Scene well grown woolly Coopworths made over $l9 but the rest seldom exceedc $l3. Passings were common and stock agents worked hard after the sale to quit unsold lambs. The store cattle market provied the one highlight of the day.

Calves sold very easily and values were similar to previous weeks. Tills augurs well for tlie calf sale season, which starts today at Culvcrden.

Adult cattle were harder to sell. Values for lighter 20 month and two and a half year steers and heifers dropped by up to $2O and well grown animals in the same age group declined by $lO. The yardings were: Lambs 6600 (8852 last week), two-tooth ewes 2659 (1766), adult ewes 4108 (6100) and store cattle 1129 (1152).

Sales of store stock included.— Lambs: A. E. Gore (Springstom. 490 woolly Coopworth ewe lambs at $ll to $19.20; A. J. Murray (Ohoka), 179 shorn Perendale ewe lambs al $11.60 to $14.80; A. J. Fronting (Sheffield), 87 shorn Romney wether lambs at $l2; Fraser Stock and Land Co., (Motunau), 300 Corriedale wether lambs at $8.40 to $ll.

. Two-tooths: Estate S. Hall (Peraki), 126 Romneys at $20.20 to $22; W. A. Wilson (Waiuku), 224 Romney cross at $23.80 to $26.10, 118 Coopworths at $2l; J. D. B. Brown (Scargill), 35 Borderdales at $17.60; D. J. Inness (Pigeon Bay), 41 Romneys at $17.80; G. S. and R. E. Teague (Annatt), 60 227 Romneys at $18.90 to $20.40; zies (Hawarden), 117 Halfbreds at $l3; L. H. Johnson (Aylesbury), 22e Romneys at $18.90 to $20.40; T. Robinson and Sons (Manderville), 141 Romneys at $lB to $19.20.

Adult ewes: W. D. Latham (Little River), 501 annual draft Romneys at $11.70 to $11.80; J. U. McCracken (Okuku), 472 five-year Romneys at $11.50 to $12.50; M. W. Turnbull (Amberley), 137 five-year Corriedales at $11.50; A. E. Gore (Springston), 567 mixed age Coopworths at $13.20 to $15.40.

Store cattle: Eva Price Partnership (Little River), 13 HerefordShorthorn cross calves at $132, 12 Hereford-Shorthorn cross heifer calves at $130; Kirwee Farm, Ltd (Little River), 34 Angus and Angus cross steer calves at $146 to $l6B, 25 Angus and Angus cross heifer calves at $l3l lo $l4O, 47 Angus and Angus cross 18-month steers at $221 to $232; T. E. Armstrong and Son (Akaroa), 58 Angus and Angus cross steer calves at $lll to $l3O. 43 Angus and Angus cross heifer calves at $B4 to $116; W. B. Trotter (Fairlie), 51 Angus and Angus cross 18-month steers at $172 to $216; Gibralter Farm (Tai Tapu), 38 Hereford-Angus cross mixed sex calves at $ll2 to $146: J. L. Stevenson, St Janies Station (Hamner), 250 Hereford, Angus, Angus cross two and a half year steers at $250 to $436.