BREEDING EWES

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 17, 4 February 1937, Page 15

BREEDING EWES

Large" Offering T o-morrow at Stortford KEEN SALE EXPECTED The most importailt speculation in tho minds of farmers at the moment is the trend of values at to-morrow's ewe fair. The writing, however, is plainly on the wall — they are going to be experisive buying. _ "Well-grown good-qnality two-tooths , are expected to make 45/- and . bettes for the top lines, while older lots^ irrespectiv© of age, so long as they are sound-mouthed will not be cheaper than 25/-. Private saies have seen values rise ' Well on last year's price levels. Two-tooths have been traded at 45/-, while at a recent clearing sale a line not exceptional by any means, brought 43/-. Age is not proving to be a eerious deterrent, and where moutbs are good values may be described as soaiing. Sound-mouthed six-year-olds were recently. traded in the paddoek at Puketitiri. That it is the mouth that counts has been made qufte plain at late offerings ot breeding ewes at both Stortford Lodge and Waipukurau. Where the mouth is low, buyers are inclining to treat such lines rather as fattening proipositions despite the opinions offered by auctioneers that they are good enough to carry another lamb. Yesterday's sale at Stortford Lodge was really a preliminary to to-mor-row's fair, at which approxixnately 40,000 ewee will be yarded. Many of the lines yesterday were too old for offering to-morrow. Several of the brokendown entries, if used for breeding ' again this season, will never be fit for anything else afterwards. *' In the fat pens yesterday a draft of splendid-mouthed ewee showing a Ryeland' etrain were regarded as too good for killing and were purchased at 25/-, obviously for the purpose^ oi breeding. At Waipukurau a smallgrown ' line of two-tooths made 33/-, which was regarded as being an exorbitant value for such small sheep. The vendor, however, had other ideas, as he had a reserve of one shilling more; but this he' waived, evidently realising that a good thing comes but once. JVluch depends upon the country as to the quality of ewes. In some cases yesterday the five-year-olds were poormouthed, whjle a line of; six-year-olds were showing five and four-year-old mouths. Lines that fail to reach 20/can be best described as being just ewes. It is very noticeable that the auctioneers are very brif in their preambles on these lots. To-morrow's offering will include the known stations, ranging from twotooths to sound-mouthed and over. Farmers having a eurplus from their own breeding stand will reap the full benefit from the present exceedingly

buoyant market. These lots, wnen a iair moimt pf attention,., is usually given to breeding always command the keenest attention. The . selling values of these linee can hardly be judged on the offerings in the yards of the last two weeka, which have not shown quality a» a feature. In many the wool has been coarse, inclined to he hairy and lacking character. These lines, however, will continue to suit those farmers to whom a lamb is just a lamb. To-morrow's fair will be a vendor's day, when the lax&e offfering' will meet the widest and best market available.