Values plunge at Angora goat sale

Press, 27 January 1987, Page 4

Values plunge at Angora goat sale

The second annual auction of Angora goats from the Lands and Survey Department in Canterbury grossed just $31,000 yesterday, a huge decline from the $170,000 paid at last year’s sale. The 79 bucks and does in the Lands Canterbury offering suffered the same sharp fall in price as at other goat auctions throughout New Zealand this season.

Thirty-two goats were passed at auction, most because they were unable to attract a bid. A small gallery of active buyers was very selective.

Registered two-tooth does easily had the best sale, 17 averaging $955 ($2668 last year), and . only three were passed. The top price was $l7OO for the first animal in the catalogue. Sixteen mixed-age G 1 does

averaged $543, with a top price of $9OO, while six were passed. Only eight bucks were sold from an offering of 20 registered two-tooths which bad been tested for fibre micron size and medullation. The best price was $750 for a buck with total medullation of 1.9 per cent, followed by $7OO for an anima! with 2.3 medullation. Other fibre-tested twotooths ranged from $450 (3.4 medullation) to $6OO (10.2), compared with last year’s average of $3300. Virtually no interest was shown in 15 commercial twotooth bucks — only three were sold at an average of $166.

The auction was supported strongly by Blenheim interests, which bought more than half the yarding of does.