SYDNEY RAM FAIR

New Zealand Times, Volume LVI, Issue 2275, 3 August 1894, Page 4

SYDNEY RAM FAIR

One of the first things to strike a New Zealander at tho late rain fair in Sydney was the large gathering of New Zealand fluckowners, most: of the leading stud fiocks being represented ; and one could have imagined oneself at a Christchurch ram fair, with an unusually large number of North and South breeders present. The arrangements made for unshipping sheep and looking after them when in the warehouses were excellent, ! and neither the sheep themselves nor 1 their owners could complain of the treatment they received at the hands of the Sydney agents. Unfortunately, however, this good management was not extended to the sale arrangements, and the grumbling of New Zealand sellers at these was both loud and deep. Sheep of different breeds were scattered through several warehouses and out at Moore Park, and a seller of stock had sheep at more than one agent. He spent much of his time in hansoms, tring to be in two places at one time. Buyers were also at a disadvantage from the different breeds being mixed through each other, and from the fact that two sales were sometimes going on at one time; and more than one buyer said to me he had been unable to see all the stock offered, and had contented himself with thoroughly examining the sheep at one or two of the warehouses. The agents, no doubt, had a difficult matter to deal with in arranging the sale of so large a number of rams; but these sales can only be made the success they ought to be by agents working together, by having the sheep of each breed as far as possible in one place, so that buyers and sellers of that particular breed could meet each other and give and receive necessary information, and by having only one sale proceeding at a time. I entirely fail to see why the different agents could not arrange to sell at the various warehouses, balloting for order of sale, as is done at present at the Christchurch Ram Fair, where 3000 sheep can be sold in one day. Several good lines of sheep were sacrificed merely because buyers had not seen them, and had not had their attention, drawn to them.

As regards the quality- of longwool stock offered, it ■ was, as might be expected, very mixed. Most of the recognised breeders had forward sheep of excellent merit, quite equal to, the average of rams used in the best crossbred flocks in New Zealand, but along with those were sheep sold under names that never before appeared as breeders of longwool sheep; and in many instances these sheep were not fit to use as sires; and certainly would not have been present if enterprising owners had not thought it good enough to presume upon the supposed ignorance of Australian flockowners as to what constituted a longwool ram. No really high-class stud longwools were on the ground, as New Zealand breeders did not care to risk a valuable sheep in a market where he might not be required. Prices given for longwool rams were very unequal, any prominently good sheep sold fairly well, but there was not'sufficient difference made between really good lines of flock rams and dines of inferior* sheep, and I am sorry to say some of -the latter description made sufficiently good prices to encourage dealers in New Zealand to buy rubbish at a low price and foist it upon buyers here, while many good lines of rams from recognised flocks were, sold far below what they can be bred at in New Zealand. Experience will teach buyers of inferior sheep that it is u cut-throat policy to use rams of this description at any price, but before they have gained that experience their pockets will have suffered. There was some inquiry for a few first-class stud rams, and if any such had been forward they would have met a fair sale. The Lincoln was the breed most patronised, followed bj the Romney Marsh, while a few breeders went for Border Leicesters, English Leicesters being rather neglected; it struck me that many buyers of rams were too anxious to have the opinion of New Zealand breeders as to the best ram to use. Any opinion given without a knowledge of the country the . sheep were to be used on, or the treatment they were likely to receive, is of little value, and I think if flockowners would experiment a little for themselves with one or two breeds, they would soon be in a position to form their own opinion what they ought to buy, and information from such men would then be of great value to New Zealand sellers of rams who are at present a little in the dark as to the class of sheep wanted by buyers here. I would suggest that, if any conversazione be held at next year’s sales, our Australian friends do the talking while we New Zealanders sit and listen;

The general opinion of New Zealand sellers of rams was that, considering the number of longwool sheep present, the sales passed off as well as they could expect, but they have a feeling that sending over large lines of rams at one time leaves them too much in the hands of buyers here, and that a more satisfactory business can be done by sending rams direct to orders. This method would save from 5s to 10s per head in expenses which the buyer could got advantage of, and as to the quality of sheep sent, the fact that those consignors whose sheep were found up to the mark would secure the confidence of buyers on this side would prevent inferior sheep being sent over by any breeder who wished to keep up the reputation of his flock. Breeders cannot expect to get fancy prices for their flock rams, but if they do not get a price that will leave a margin of profit they will soon stop breeding. lam confident, however, that Australian pastoralists are prepared to give" fair prices for good sheep, and that a trade will be established that will benefit both buyer and seller. Meantime, I prophesy that there will be fewer New Zealand rams at next year’s Sydney sa l es< —By “ Kiwi ” in the Pastoralists' Review.