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6 Rain takes toll on cropping Vol 21 No 1, January 16, 2023
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Lamb sales stand up to global gloom Annette Scott
NEWS
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Sheep
N ABUNDANCE of grass was the feeder for the better-than-expected prices at several South Canterbury on-farm lamb and ewe sales, boosting confidence in the sheep sector. Lambs presented in top condition contributed to the competitive bidding by a strong buyer gallery that recorded more than 50 registered buyers. “You wouldn’t get much better than these lambs we put up today, they are a real credit to the vendors given the challenging season,” South Canterbury PGG Wrightson livestock manager Joe Higgins said. The on-farm run offered 12,500 lambs across four sales around Albury and Fairlie in South Canterbury. “Everything went above presale expectations and I have to say we were buoyed by the buyer registrations – buyers competed well and pushed prices.” On a cents-per-kilogram basis, values were well above paddock sales and local saleyards, Higgins said. “We saw a lot of big lines offered, several in excess of 300 and buyers like that. “There was a good range across 20-32kg stores that, dependent on weights, made $3.40-$4/kg, and they are not doing that in the
yards. People like buying off farm.” Feed was a big factor in the confidence with most of the lambs going to Mid, central and South Canterbury where grass is currently abundant. Higgins said despite the falling schedule, there will always be a home for the lambs. “Despite the current schedule the expectation is not dented long term and carrying finishing lambs into winter is what cropping farmers have got to do, it’s part of their farm systems. “At the end of the day it is good to see the breeders getting rewarded.” Selling at his 10th annual on-farm sale, David Timperley of Opawa Downs was “quietly chuffed” with the result. “You have got to be happy with that,” he said. Up the road the Irving family of Albury was all smiles. Selling for the fifth year on farm, 21-year-old stock manager Richard Irving said the family was very happy with the sale. Irving farms with his parents David and Anna, who are “part of a bunch of Irvings who have been in the district for many years”, and his siblings, co-stock manager Sally and brother Henry. “It’s all of us involved and we are very happy with how the sale went, much better than we expected and especially amidst the Continued page 5
A future in the hill country Twenty-one-year-old stock manager Richard Irving, featured in the story at left, says strong prices for lambs and ewes are a good long-term sign for the sheep industry.
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NEWS 7
TECHNOLOGY 9
WEATHER 40
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