BIG SHEEP TREK

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18264, 6 December 1933, Page 6

BIG SHEEP TREK

OUTSIDE DELIVERIES ON THE ROAD SOON The annual exodus of sheep from the Gisborne district both north and south will commence shortly. It is estimated that anything up ’to 100,000 breeding ewes and wethers, mainly the former, will be transferred to the Waikato and Hawke’s Bay during the next few months. Forward buying was heavy this year, in direct contrast with the previous two years, when outside buyers were mainly content to wait until they could secure their supplies in their own local yards. As a result, Gisborne sheep owners with surpluses to dispose of had to dispatch their lines without knowing what they were worth. This year, practically all that are being sent out of the’ district will have been bought a few months ago. So keen was the demand for breeding owes a short times ago that practically all supplies were bought up, and in the words of one of the stock dealers it would be difficult to secure a line at present. Recently, however, a little more business has been done in wethers, and 2-tootlis have changed hands at aboiit Ms to Lb 6d, a rise of from 2s to 2ta 6d a head on values ruling several months ago at the commencement of the forward buying. Ewes and wethers for Hawke’s Bay should be put on the road soon, if they are going overland. It is understood, however, that some of the Hawke’s Bay lines will lie going by bout so that they will arrive at their destination in better condition.

The main Waikato lines will not be setting out until after the Ntew Year holiday traffic is off the roads, but a few wethers and a small number of the older ewes are expected to commence their northward journey by about the middle of this month. Most of the Waikato mobs, it is believed, will connect with the train at Taneatua.