Addington market Store-lamb prices down by $2 to $3

Press, 28 January 1988, Page 23

Addington market Store-lamb prices down by $2 to $3

Prices for store lambs dipped between $2 and $3 at the Addington store lamb and sheep sale yesterday. Buyers showed a distinct lack of enthusiasm in the lamb industry as most sales for the large yarding of lambs seldom fetched more than $l5, compared with the bulk last week making between $l6 and $l9. The top price of $2O went to a small pen of quality cross-bred lambs from Barrys Bay, but these proved the exception as the remaining few other good lines never reached $lB. The yarding of 11,455 lambs, featuring a large percentage of fine-wool, hill-country lambs, was an increase of almost 3000 on last week, but with few good lines the over-all quality was comparatively poorer. The best of the finewool lambs, 255 cryptorchids from M. G. Gould, of Rotheram, made up to $16.80. With only limited supplies of breeding ewes still coming to market, the demand for them was not strong, but the market remained sound with prices for both breeding two-tooths and adult ewes

improving on last week. The top price of the day went to. a good line of Corriedale two-tooths from W. S. E. Gartery, of Springbank, which fetched between $25 and $26.25. Last week, the top price for two-tooths peaked at $20.60. The price for the top lines of adult ewes also improved on last week. A line of woolly Romney and Romney-cross ewes made up to $20.50, compared with $18.60 last week for a pen of Border Corriedale and Corriedale-draft ewes. The best of the adult ewes were considered as good as if not better than last week’s and buyers were keen to support this market. The demand was also good for light works or rape ewes, which made up the bulk of this week’s yarding. The quality of light ewes was lower than in recent weeks, however, and over-all prices dipped between $2 and $3 to compensate. Most light ewes made between $5 and $9.40, compared with $7 and $ll last week. Yarding figures for all store sheep substantially increased by 6678 this

week, to a total of 1856. Sales included:— Lambs: D. A. Philpott, (Okuku), 71 Corriedale rams at $15.20 and 708 Corriedale mixed-sex at $6.80 to $12.60; R. J. Walker (Lees Valley), 796 Halfbred mixed-sex at $10.20 to $14.60; W. B. Foster (Parnassus), 272 Border cross rams at $7.40 to $l4; P. A. Waghorn (Little River), 233 Perendale rams at $10.60 to $13.20; D. Barrar (Gebbies Pass), 211 Romney cross mixed-sex at $10.40 to $l3; W. G. and S. E. Henderson (Waiau), 244 Romney ewes at $7.60 to $l3; M. G. Gould (Rotherham), 255 cryptorchids at $13.40 to $16.80; F. Temple (Journeys End), 163 wethers at $10.20 to $15.50; and 159 ewes at $11.60 to $l6; Estate of S. Hall (Peraki), 171 wethers at $12.20 to $17.20; R. Curry (Barrys Bay), 130 at $15.40 to $2O. Two-tooth breeding ewes: W. S. E. Gartery (Springbank), 144 Corriedales at $25 to $26.25. Adult ewes: Stoneyhurst Station (Greta Valley), 182 Halfbreds at $13.25; S. G. Milne (Hawarden), 220 mixed-age Perendales at $12.50.