NEW ZEALAND-SHEEP TRADE FOR THE WEEK.
Abundant growth in Canterbury inspired a good turnout of farmers for the regular Monday sheep sale at the Temuka Saleyard Selling Centre last week.
With less than half the yards full, bidding was brisk for what stock was available.
The sale comprised breeding ewes, some in very poor condition; a range of lambs some freshly weaned; and a few rams.
A pen of large powerful Sufftex rams were determined to avoid the sale process and nimbly cleared the yards, surprising a few onlookers.
Starting with ewes, 125 Romdales third and fourth shear set the tone at $92 each.
They were followed by assortments of Perendales which ranged in price from $90 down to $54.
A pen of four tooth Coopworths hit $85.
Individual and small offerings of rams ranged from $120 to $200 for the showy jumpers. The auctioneer commenting they would not only sire the purchasers’ lambs but the neighbours’ as well.
Store lambs ranged in price depending on breed and gender. A pen of cryptorchids sold for $88; Coopworth males for $84; mixed age breeds for $77.
Second draft wethers straight off the ewe went for $76, and prices from then on ranged in the mid to high $70s for lambs regardless of their breed.
Among small pen lots of ewes, 12 which were organically farmed sold for $69.50.
Small lots of odds and sods sold for around $70 to $72.50, some heavies for $78.50; with the prices then ranging across the low and mid $30s and upward to the mid $40s and mid $50s.
All up, not a huge yarding considering the number of buyers in attendance.
With considerably fewer stock to go round farmers will have to be quick to snap up future bargains.