RAM AND EWE FAIR.

Otago Witness, Issue 2299, 24 March 1898, Page 7

RAM AND EWE FAIR.

Messrs Wright, Stephensox, and Co. report aa follows :—: — . The Otago Agricultural and Pastoral Association's annual fair took place at the Bnrnside yards on Thursday, and in every sense of the term it proved a very poor affair. The weather was wretched, the 'itteadauce the smallest qu record, ths cuU'is*

about 30 per cent, below last year's, and, although tbe quality of the flock rams offered was if anything better than last y<?ar, breeders met with but scant encouragement to continue the ram-breeding business. Lot after lot was out up without response ou the part of the public, and it is safe to say that fully half of the rams had to be railed back to their owners unsold. The only exceptions to the prevailing dulness occurred when a few oi the best stud Border Leicester rams were offered, and also when the Clydevale Border Leicester ilock i-jms and the EMertlie R' mney Marsh flock rams were put up. Thece lots met with spirited c snip jtilion, but prices, as w.ll bo seen from the Hst below, can cot be legarded as remunerative to the breeders. There was a limited inquiry, chiefly from the Peninsula settlers, for Shropshire Down rams, but values obtained for tbpni, too, were disappoiating Appended is our list of sales ; 575 sheep were offered, and of these we submitted 281:LIST OF SALES. Border Leicester Breed. Account of Mr Alex. Murdoch, Centre Park t 1 two-tooth stud ram at 10»s— to Mr James Gow, of Invermay, Taieri Account of the New Zealand and Australian Land Company (Limited), Clydedale estate :40 two-tooth flock rams at 1 j?. Account of Mr Alfred BeaveD, Waianiwa : 2 two-tooth flock rams at Ig. Account ot Mr Robert Grieve, "Waianiwa, : 5 two-tooth flock rams afe li?. Account of .Messrs Murray, Roberts, and Co., Glidurock : 1 two-tooth flock ram at 2gs. Account of Mr Edward Menlove, Windsor Park : 20 two-tooth flick rams at price withheld. Account of Mr David Andrew, jun., The Grange : 5 two-tooth flock rams at lg. Account of Mr E. H. Jieid, Windsor : 9 fourtooth flock ram^. Account of Mr Douglas Larnach, The Camp i 2 flock laais Account of Mr James Gow, Tnvermay : 12 twotooth stud ewjs as Ist. Account of Mr Robert Charters, TTry Parkr 8 &i,ud ewes, 9 ewe lambs, and 3 ram lambs, at satisfactory price. Romney Mar.-sli Breed. Acount of Mr John Reid, Elderalie : 36 two* tcoth flock rams at from lg to 2rs. Shropshire Down Breed. Account of Messn John Keid and Sons, Monte ■ /hrisfcv-) pstate : 35 four-tooth flock rams at IJg to 2gs, 17 stud ewps at a price withheld. Account -if Mr Dougls/3 Lainacb, The Camp ; 5 flock r.ims at up t.o "Upc. Messrs Donald "Reid ano Co. report r -The twelfth annual nm and ewe fair under the auspices of the Otago Agricultural and Pastoral Hociety was h*kl at Burnbide yards ou Thursday. Ths total entry, 557, was about half the number cu r e>"ed at last yaarV fair. The attendance of buyers was very small, and most of those present appeared to bs vendors, noi, buyer?. For.Border . I..eice9ters there was scarcely aoy competition, and pen after .pen was passed in. Romney Marsh and Shrcps,hire3 evoke ; rather better competition, and most of these were disposed of. At auction and privately we sold 47 at lg for Leicesters aad to Ihi for F^mriey Marsh. The New Zt: aland Loan and Mercantile Agency Company (Limited) report :— The usual annual ram fair was held at Burnside on Thursday, when only a m&derate number of sheep (compared with, former years) were submitted for sale, but these were more than sufficient to meet requirements, as fully half uf them were returned to the owneis. Quality was iairlv well represented, and anyoue ii quest of a really good sheep for stud I>uipose=, had no difficulty ia suiting himself at * prici that would have been considered small a few years ago— viz., £5 to £10. The quality of the flock rains was not up to the usual standard, no doubt owing to the fact that prices have not; been good enough in the past to warrant breeders taking tho trouble and going to the expenseof biinging out their rams a.% of yore. The top price of the day (Ll}gs) was for a ram bred by Mr J. M'Crjstie— a \ery fine animal. We Bold all yve bad forward at ruling prices, and still have iaquiiies for Leicester and Romney flock rams. Maclean and Co. report having held their annual sale in connection with, the above at Burnside yards oa Thursday. The entry was a fair average one, but considerably less thau last year. The result, however, was not any better, and sale-s could only be effected at very low prices The top price of the day (under . tbe hammer), Hi guineas, was secured by tbern for a Border Leicester stud ram (sire The Maccre^or) bred by M>- John M'Crostie, of Southland. The purchaser (Mr W. Farquharson, Lovell'a Flat) is to be congratulated upon securing one of the finest animals shown at the fair. Their further sales included rams from the following well-kuown breeders :— Messrs M'Kercher Bros , Little Bros . John M'Grostie, J. Oughton, A. North, and White, at fairly satisfactory prices iv sonis instances. Messrs! Murray, ltoberts, and Co., of Gladbrook estate, were the purchasers of a very fine ram bred by Messrs M'Kercher Bros.