RAM FAIR

Southland Times, Issue 20446, 26 March 1928, Page 4

RAM FAIR

INVERCARGILL FIXTURE. , BIG INCREASE IN PRICES. ROMNEY MARSH BREED PREDOMINATE. The annual sale of stud and flock rams held under the auspices of the Southland A. and P. Association at the InvercargiU Showgrounds was conducted by the Associated Auctioneers on Saturday in the presence of a good attendance of buyers. There was a large and representative entry and this year’s fixture must be considered to be the most successful fair yet held by the association. The arrangements for the fair were quite complete and with the numbers of good quality sheep offering, buyers had no difficulty in selecting something in the yards that suited their requirements. Prices throughout the sale were very satisfactory and particularly in the Romney Marsh section which comprised the larger part of the entry. From the commencement of the sale it was evident that a very keen demand existed for this breed and from the first offering onwards the prices increased to the extent of some guineas with a very firm demand at the close of the sale. Border and English Leicester breeders did not receive the same response from buyers, but the return for the sheep yarded in these two sections was very satisfactory and the bulk of the entries, though in some cases passed in at auction, were eventually sold by private treaty. There was only a small entry in the Down sections, but these met a keen demand, particularly Southdowns. The stud sale was a large one and comprised the fullest entry so far vended at Invercargill. This section of the fair has now become a vyy important part of the fixture and in view of still further development, the advisability of holding the stud sale on the afternoon prior to the flock sale must be considered, as at yesterday’s sale it was necessary to conduct both stud and flock sales simultaneously. In the stud section, Romney Marsh entries were the biggest feature, entries being forward from many of the leading breeders of Otago and Southland including Messrs McLeish Bros (Drummond), trustees of the late T. L. Barnhill (Castlerock), W. G. Ladbrook (Gore). Allan Grant (Waimate), J. A. Edwards (Otikerama), W. Kennedy (Otautau), Lincoln College (Canterbury), J. Moseley and Sons (Clydevale, W. and J. Johnston (Maitland), R. J. Anderson (Kauana), and James King (Invercargill). Border Leicesters were forward from Messrs J. A. Edwards, R. J. Anderson and W. Kennedy while Southdown breeders were represented by Messrs Allan Grant and Robert Fraser (Tokanui).

The summary of the catalogue as compared with that of last year was as under. It is interesting to note that the totals are the same.

The top price in the stud sale was secured by the National Mortgage and Agency Co. for a fine one-shear Romney vended on account of Mr W. G. Ladbrook (Gore), and purchased by Mr Robert Begg (Wrights Bush) at 56 guineas. Other rams sold at prices in this vicinity and tailed down to 10 guineas. The highest price at the previous fixture was 42 guineas. The flock sale was probably the best ever conducted in Southland, particularly in the Romney Marsh section where some very fine pens were offered. Breeders should be gratified at the fine prices paid by purchasers for animals showing the essential breeding qualities of constitution, symmetry of carcase, and wool, and never before was the attention to this more marked as at Saturday’s sale. No doubt, the fine prices ruling this season for wool and lambs was responsible to a considerable extent. It was particularly noticeable that the demand for the Romney breed was not nearly satisfied. Although the frozen meat trade demands the neat “quality” carcase of the Down and Leicester breeds, it must be taken Into consideration that the foundation of the province’s ewe flocks must come from the Romney breed. That breeders have recognized this was evident from the selections on Saturday and such a view on the part of the farmers augurs well for the future prospects of the Romney breeders of Southland. The prices obtained for flock rams showed a very high average and for good Romneys as much as 144 guineas was paid as against 104 guineas previously, good average well-woolled farmers’ sheep realizing 10 guineas. In Border Leicesters, good farmers’ rams sold at from 44 to 64 guineas, being slightly higher than last year, and for specially selected single sheep as high as 10{ guineas was paid. English Leicesters realized from 3 to 5$ guineas, and selected single Southdowns brought up to 12£ guineas with pens to 10 guineas. The facilities for the transport of the sheep to and from the sale were excellently organized by the Railway Department, and by 3.30 o’clock in the afternoon practically the whole of the purchases were consigned to their respective destinations and very few sheep were left at the grounds over the week-end. The sales were as follows:—■ STUD RAMS. —Romney Marsh.—• On account Trustees late T. L. Barnhill, Castlerock: 1 one-shear at 234gns to E. K. Sim, Pukemaori; 1 one-shear at 234gns to R. D. Froude, Pukemaori; 1 one-shear at 30gns to J. O’Shannessey, Limehills; 1 oneshear at 15gns. On account W. G. Ladbrook, Gore: 1 one-shear at 35gns to J. Keir, Charlton; 1 at 36gns to G. F. Mcßae, Wyndham; 1 at 56gns to Robert Beggs, Wright’s Bush. On account Allan Grant, Waimate, 1 one-shear at 124gns to E. K. Sim; 1 at 22gns to Mr A. Mcßae, Wyndham; 1 at 21gns to Lawlor Bros., Waikaka; 1 at 17gns to J. F. H. McDonald, Dipton; 1 at llgns to C. Carr, Pukemaori; 1 at 36gns to H. Stirling, Waimahaka; 1 at 29gns to M. R. Lawlor, Gore; 1 at 45gns to John Kirkpatrick, Waikaka; 1 at 12gns to P. Fraser; 1 at lOgns to M. R. Lawlor; 1 at 18gns to J. Byars, Waikaka; 1 at 15gns and 1 at 16gns to Lawlor Bros.; 1 at llgns to A. T. Miller, Clifden; 1 at 20gns to J: Pullar, Crookston; 1 at 17£gns to W. Swale, Limehills; 1 at 25gns to W. G. Thompson, Otahuti. On account of J. A. Edwards, Otikerama, 1 one-shear at 14gns to S. T. Evans, Longbush. On account Lincoln -Agricultural College, Canterbury. 1 one-shear at 31gns to R. D. Smith, McNab. On account J. Moseley and Sons, ClydeVale, 1 one-shear at 18jgns to James King, Invercargill; 1 at 14gns to J. Gibb, Clifton; 1 at 22gns to W. Kennedy, Otautau; 1 at 164gns to James Pullar, Heriot; 1 at 30gns; 1 at 16gns. On account James King, Invercargill: 1 one-shear at 20gns to M. Kirkpatrick, Greenvale; 1 at 15gns to W. S. Horrell, Te Tua; 1 at 134gns to W. Munro, Dunearn. —Border Leicesters.— On account J. Edwards, Otikerama, 1 at to W’. Pirie, Woodlands. On account R. J. Anderson, Kauana, 1 at lOgns to W. Pirie, Woodlands. —Southdowns.— On account Allan Grant, Waimate, 1 at llgns to W. Young, Isla Bank; 1 at 164gns to W. G. Ladbrook.

FLOCK RAMS. —Lincolns.— On account W. Sutton, Waianiwa: 1 three-shear 2gns. English Leicesters. — On account Estate late Thomas Evans, Longbush, three-shear at 3gns. On account Alex. Drummond, Five Rivers, one-shear 2gns to 2Jgns. On account S. T. Evans, Longbush, oneshear at 24gns. —Shropshire.— On account A. Drummond, one-shear 3gns to 4igns. On account R. Fraser, Tokonui, one-shear sgns to 84gns. —Romney Marsh.— On account R. F. Kirk, Kelso, one-shear 6gns to 6Agns. On account Peter Campbell, Wyndham, one-shear 6igns to 74gns. On account R. H. Gardyne, Waikaka, oneshear 6|gns to 7|gns. On account William Couser, Mataura Island, one-shear 3gns to 6gns. On account W. P. Hishon, Oreti, one-shear sgns to 54gns. On account J,* Ryan, Otautau, one-shear s|gns, two-shear Bjgns, three-shear 4gns to 4Jgns. On account McLeish Brothers, Drummond, two-shear sgns. On account. William McLean, Pine Bush, one-shear sgns; two-shear 3fgns to 6gns. On account W. G. Ladbrook, Gore, oneshear 124gns to 14Jgns. On account A. S. Holms, Waimahaka, one-shear 6|gns to Signs. On account M. R. Lawlor, Gore, oneshear 7igns to 13{gns. On account J. Byars, Waikaka, one-shear 7gns; two-shear 74gns. On account R. D. Smith, McNab, oneshear s|gns to 7|gns. On account H. Stirling, Fortrose, oneshear sjgns to 13fgns. On account W. Chittock, Waikaka Valley, one-shear 7gns to 74gns. On account W. Sutton, Waianiwa, sJgns; three-shear 4gns. On account W. Kennedy, Otautau, oneehear s|gns to 7|gns. On account W. S. Kirk, Kelso, one-shear 7gns to 9igns. On account James King, Invercargill, oneshear 6-}gns to lltgns. On account E. K. Sim, Pukemaori, oneshear 6{gns to 7gns. On account W. S. Horrell, Te Tua, oneshear, 7gns to lOJgns. On account W. and J. Johnston, Maitland, one-shear, 6}gns to 7jgns. —Southdown.— On account Allan Grant, Waimate, oneshear Signs to 12£gns. —Border Leicester.— On account A. and R. McDonald, Otapiri, one-shear s}gns to 6Jgns. | On account D. H. Dunlop, Pine Bush, one-shear 6gns to 7igns. On account A. Gerrard, Winton, oneshear 4sgns to 6fgns. On account A. McFarlane, Drummond, one-shear sgns; two-shear 7gns.

On account A. L. Gerrard, Winton, oneshear 4gns. On account T. E. Paterson, Otapiri, oneshear s|gns to 6igns. On account James King, Invercargill, one-shear 44gns. On account W. Kennedy, Otautau, oneshear sgns to lOJgns. —Unregistered Romney Marsh.— Three pens of unregistered Romney Marsh rams lambed in September, 1926, were offered on behalf of Stewart Bros., Myross Bush, but attracted no bids.

—Stud Rams — 1928 1927 Romnev Marsh 27 Border Leicester 7 9 Southdown 3 9 Other breeds 0 4 Total 63 35 —Flock RamsLincolns 13 15 English Leicester .. .. 49 0 Shropshire 39 24 Romney Marsh 490 Southdown 15 0 Border Leicester .. 212 237 Other breeds (registered) 0 2 Unregistered Romneys .. 12 24 Other breeds (unreg.) .. 0 31 Flock totals 830 858 Grand total 893 893