Friday, March 29, 2024

Tinwald bows out

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The hub of Mid Canterbury’s livestock trading sold stock for the final time last Tuesday marking the end of a once-thriving sheep industry in the district.
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As he opened the last-ever weekly sale PGG Wrighston Mid Canterbury livestock manager Greg Cook welcomed a large gathering of farmers, transport operators and drivers, former yardmen and past and present livestock agents.

“This a big turnout to acknowledge the history that goes with the end of an era for Tinwald,” Cook said.

The big yarding of more than 1500 prime sheep was a fitting farewell for 138 years of memories for the local farming community, he said.

Cook himself had clocked up 24 years of selling at the yards but was flanked by one or two fellow livestock representatives with up to 50 years of saleyard tales to share.

“It’s good to see such a turnout and many familiar faces from days past,” Cook said.

“And it’s a fitting tribute to send Tinwald off with such a good line-up of lambs.”

Staff and clients were treated to a farewell lunch after the sale.

While in the past the Tinwald saleyards had played a key economic and social role in the wider community that had changed over the past 25 years, Cook said.

Stock numbers had continued to decline as the focus of Mid Canterbury farming moved away from sheep and beef toward arable, dairy and dairy-support farming.

Health and safety, environmental and animal health requirements had also contributed to the decision to close the saleyards.

While there would be no job losses in the Mid Canterbury livestock team, Cook acknowledged it would affect local vendors.

From January the option of selling livestock via a saleyard auction would either be the Temuka saleyards Monday sale or the Canterbury Park Tuesday sale.

Cook assured farmers the local team would continue to take care of local livestock business.

Details about a central collection point for trucking stock to the vendor’s choice of sale would hopefully be confirmed by the end of the year, he said.

Meanwhile, the United Kingdom market was out of favour for lamb exports with the volume of lamb exported through November down 16% down on the same month last year.

AgriHQ analyst Rachel Agnew reported the difficult trading environment in the UK and European Union markets had affected sales through the month, even given this was a key period for Christmas chilled sales.

Shipments to the UK were down 38% on the same time last season, which dropped market share from 23% in 2015 to 20% this year.

Sales to Germany declined by 21% on last year while shipments to China dropped by 21% with market share for the month dropping from 29% last year to 27% this year.

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