Angora prices plummet at third annual sale

Press, 26 January 1988, Page 9

Angora prices plummet at third annual sale

Prices for Landcorp’s Lands Canterbury angora goats plummeted at the third annual sale at the Insignis Park sales complex yesterday. The auction, comprising 40 two-tooth maiden registered and graded does, 15 mixed-age graded does and 12 registered twotooth bucks, grossed just $6363 compared with $31,000 last year and $170,000 for the first annual sale. Yesterday’s realistic values, however, were expected and were considered on a par with recent North Island goat sales. The surprise of the day was the spirited bidding, particularly from at least £four new buyers who

were forming foundation flocks. Encouraging, also, was the small number of lots passed in. In contrast with last year when 79 goats were offered and almost half were passed at auction, only eight of the 67 goats offered this year were passed. The strongest demand was for two-tooth does. All 40 offered sold, averaging $117.12. The top price was $l6O ($l7OO last year) for a registered doe. Fourteen of the 15 mixed-age graded does sold for an average of $BO and the top price was $145 ($9OO last year) for a G 1 doe. The top price of the day went for a two-

tooth buck bought by Mr lan Tooley, of Ohoka, for $2lO. The 12 bucks offered had been fibre tested and the top priced goat featured test results that easily surpassed its competition. It recorded a fibre micron of 28 and medullation and kemp were a mere 0.7 per cent and 0.4 per cent respectively. Last year $750 was paid for a buck with a total medullation of 1.9 per cent and $7OO for a buck with 2.3 per cent medullation. Only five of the 12 bucks sold, reflecting the national increase in the number of bucks on the market and buyers’ selectivity.