Gone in 15 minutes flat
Barrie Gordon
It took less than one hour to dispose of the 1243 sheep at the Matawhero saleyards yesterday .
The prime section — which for the past many weeks has held 300-500 head — comprised just six small lines and was sold in 15 minutes.
Three lots of butcher ewes sold well, making $59-$60.50, and a pen of solid woolly hoggets traded at $92.70 with competition from Hawke’s Bay.
Another lot of smaller hoggets made $71.
There was a 15-minute wait for the 1138 store lambs and there were some very attractive lots displayed.
With so much grass around and warm conditions suiting lamb growth, local farmers were keen to get their hands on them and this resulted in lively bidding on all grades.
The top draft of 184 male lambs from Mataraoa Station, Waikura Valley, sold at $58, $2.03/kgLW and 371 other fetched $54, $2.16/kgLW. The final 131 went at $50, $2.27/kgLW.
Marua Station received $56.50 for well-grown males, $2.21/kgLW and their best ewe lambs returned $52, $2.31/kgLW.
Sixty mixed-sex lambs made $40.50 and a consignment of smaller male lambs from Totangi Farms sold at $40 and $35.
Two small lots of ewes with lambs at foot made $50 and $44 all-counted and store ewes brought $44.50 and $46.50.
The very small yardings of new season’s lambs are helping keep the market strong. Hill country properties appear to be holding on to lambs.
They probably have nothing to lose and there should be gains in both weights and returns.