Friday, March 29, 2024

Rain boosts on-farm sale prices

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Pre-Christmas rains helped boost prices at the Orari Gorge Station on-farm sale, with prices up on previous years, standing it up as a feature South Island on-farm lamb sale.
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PGW agents Rod Sands, Greg Cook and Joe Higgins look for bids at the Orari Gorge Station on-farm sale. Photo: Annette Scott

Pre-Christmas rains helped boost prices at the Orari Gorge Station on-farm sale, with prices up on previous years, standing it up as a feature South Island on-farm lamb sale.

“It was a good sale, up on last year, I’m very happy,” fifth-generation farmer Robert Peacock said.

“The bit of rain before Christmas helped with the grass both here and for the buyers, there’s plenty of feed and the prices reflect that.”

The 430-hectare Orari Gorge Station, farmed by the Peacock family since 1856, offered 6000 Romney and Sufftex lambs and 450 annual draft ewes at its fifth annual on-farm sale.

“The on-farm sale works for us, it’s not a weaning sale, a lot were weaned before Christmas and that allows us to wean the fawns from our 1800 hinds, otherwise the lambs are on where we need to have fawns,” he said.

The station carries 25,000 head of stock in a proportion of 50% sheep, 25% fully recorded Hereford stud cows and 25% deer in a mix of venison and velveting.

The hill country September onwards born lambs are all bred from the station’s stud stock, with the Orari genetics attracting regular buyers back each year.

The Sufftex lambs sold from $165-$173, while Romney crypt lambs sold from $93-$129 and smaller Romney ewe lambs $93-$112. Annual draft Romney ewes sold from $145-$183.

The Hakataramea Valley sales took in three different vendors and was the first of the South Island fine wool sales taking in Corriedale and half-bred lambs.

Hazlett livestock auctioneer Madison Taylor says the lambs were mostly bought for winter finishing, with a view to attacking the spring sales.

“The buyers got good returns last year so they were happy to spend their cash this year, with the regular buyers buying larger consignments,” Taylor said.

Across the board prices were up $20 on last year, with 10,000 lambs sold over the three sales and only three pens under $100.

Corriedale mixed sex lambs sold up to $155, Poll Dorset-Suffolk lambs fetched $115-$194 and halfbreds $85-$$135.

“There’s optimism in the whole market with buyers recognising long term as the way to go on a schedule not looking to dimmer any time soon,” he said.

The Springfield-Sheffield three-farm run offered very good quality lambs, with more notable competition for the smaller lambs.

“It was a bloody good line-up this year and buyers were going for the longer-term lambs, with the averages up on last year in line with current store prices, and even prime lambs were certainly on schedule,” he said.

Rural Livestock agent Donald Cooke said they’re seeing a trend where finishers are prepared to pay a premium over market price for wether lambs in preference over crypt and ram lambs.

Year-on-year prices were also up in Otago.

East Otago farmers Gerard and Laura Heckler from Stoneburn sold 3800 lambs, with a top price of $165 for those in prime condition.

PGG Wrightson agent Gerard O’Shea said those in prime condition sold from $144-$165, those in good forward condition $119-$124 and lower quality $65-$90.

Buyers were mostly local or from North Otago and South Canterbury, and O’Shea said prices were on average $25 ahead of last year.

A similar improvement in average price was realised for lambs sold by the Nichol and Howie families from Lee Stream, inland from Dunedin.

PGG Wrightson agent Jayden Crawley says the Nichols averaged $111 for 5150 lambs and Howies $119 for 1600.

The best lambs sold for close to $160 and buyers were mostly from Canterbury.

The Nichols also sold 800 cast for age ewes, which made $153.

Shedding sheep attract top dollar

A good gallery of buyers attended Mt Cass Station’s Sepnd Annual Wiltshire sheep sale that attracted 50 registered buyers to the sale, with another 12 who registered to buy online through bidr.

Hazlett Livestock agent Alby Orchard said buyers from Kerikeri, Gore, Marlborough, Otago and right across Canterbury were prepared to pay a good premium for any good shedding-type sheep, with heavy shedders selling from $210-$325, medium shedders $135-$260 and lighter shedders $110-$160.

The two-tooth ewes sold from $220-$380, AD ewes $190-$350, ewe lambs $110-$325 and two-tooth rams $900-$4600.

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