Values weren’t as buoyant overall as most people had expected, PGG Wrightson regional livestock manager for Mid and South Canterbury, Joe Higgins, said.
Top price was $270 a head for a line of Border Romney two-tooths offered by Geraldine breeder Bruce McDonald. He also topped last year’s sale, at $235.
On the day, top ewes made $200-$270, mediums $180-$200, lighter $160-$180, and poorer animals $130-$150. Overall, the margin over last year averaged $15-$30, Higgins said.
“Buyers picked the eyes out of the yarding.
“Good sheep and those from the regular vendors who have built their reputations sold well, but it was a struggle for some of the others.”
The yarding of just under 11,000 two-tooth ewes was just medium-sized compared to some other years, but the buying gallery wasn’t that big either.
“Some farmers might have thought prices would be a bit high, so we really only had buyers from South Canterbury and North Otago, plus a couple from further south and one or two from North Canterbury.”
Farmers were reluctant to spend too much on sheep – experience had shown that good prices didn’t always last.
A lot of sheep sold in the $160-$180 range, while small yardings of Romney, Perendale, and Longdown were getting more than $200 a head.
All the ewes went to farmer-buyers, with none to butchers and traders, indicating price levels were well-above the kill-trade levels.
With the big number of ewes sent away for processing pre-Christmas, in response to the high mutton schedule, Higgins said the indications were for breeding ewe numbers being lower this year, but with a higher overall quality.
A good guide to the ewe market will come this week when the older breeding ewe fair is held at Temuka on Wednesday. Higgins is expecting good ewes to make $170-$180, and lighter ewes $120-$130.
There appeared to be more interest in fattening lambs in the current market environment, rather than committing to a breeding programme.
