Saturday, July 21, 2012 • Barrie Gordon
THE store lamb market took a very noticeable lift at Matawhero where a very active bench got its teeth into sizable yarding of 1800 lambs.
An indication of the rise in values was that of the first 34 pens, 16 made $100 and more, with the heaviest making $117-$124.
The rise reflected results at Stortford Lodge on Wednesday and also the fact that this week’s entry at Matawhero contained a good many lines that had very good bodyweights — several lots tipping the scales at 40 kgLW or better. But the real depth of demand showed in the prices paid for the more medium lambs. Very few failed to register less than $90.
Line-size was unusually small and out of around 60 lots, only one pen held more than 100 head.
The demand for in-lamb ewes was equally avid. Most of the ewes offered were those scanned singles and line of medium-framed 2-tooth ewes selling at $148 and another similar lot at $146. Mixed- age ewes, also scanned single, made $130-$142 and 5/6-year ewes, scanned twin, sold at $144. A small line of big strong ewes, virtually “on-the-drop” topped the sale at $150.
The prime pens held the biggest entry for many weeks — 319 ewes and 17 lambs. This market strengthened, the older ewes sold within the narrow range of $85-$89 while 2-tooths fetched $85-$90. Two pens of prime lambs went at $101 and $124.50. Store ewes were firm at $50-$71.50. Sales included:
Male lambs: Hereumu Station 49 at $112; Marotiri Station 54 at $113, 69 at $100; Sun Peaks Station 50 at $106.50; Puketia Station 52 at $116.20; Bushy Knoll Forests, 18 at $124; Raroa Station 11 at $101 and Mangatawhiti Station 20 at $118.20, 21 at $109; Journey’s End Station 29 at $90.
Ewe lambs: Toromiro Station 25 at $105, 64 at $98; Mangatawhiti Station 35 at $106, 44 at $100; Hereumu Station 45 at $99.50, 27 at $85; Awarua Station 135 at $92, 75 at $92; J. Redpath 33 at $100; Journey’s End Station 37 at $110.50.
Mixed-sex lambs R.D. Blair 46 at $98; Sun Peaks Station 40 at $86;Norana Station 60 at $96.50, 25 at $89.
Breeding Ewes: Kupenga Station 107 2th (singles) $148, 126 5/6 year, (twins) $144; McNeil Farming 40 2th (singles) $146, 97 MA (singles) $130, 104 MA (twins) $142; R Bracken 16 MA RWR $150; Pukekiwi Station 31 MA RWR $80, 22 same at $100.50.
Total entry: 2876 comprising 1800 lambs, 543 breeding ewes, 197 store ewes and 336 primes.