DISTRICT BULL SALES

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 782, 1 October 1929, Page 10

DISTRICT BULL SALES

HEAVY OFFERINGS AT RECENT FIXTURES BIG CLEARANCE AT PUKEKOHE By Ii.W.C. With the mating season only a month or so off, dairymen throughout the province are beginning to look to their herd sire requirements, and bull I s-ales are being held in all parts of the province. Only where the animals are backed by well above average butter-fat records, however, are buyers prepared to pay much more than steer prices. As the average standard of the dairy herds is improved, and more and more pedigree cows introduced, many farmers are tending to keep the ’ bull calves, despite the fact that they may only have been sired by a mediocrequality bull. The influence of this is apparently being felt this year, when there is reported to be an exceptionally large number of dairy bulls offering for sale. Already this season several big sales have been held, and more are expected before the season closes. At a combined breeders’ sale held at Pukelcohe earlier in the month, approximately 200 pedigree bulls changed hands. At a sale of Jerseys last week at Claudelands, a two-days’ offering was sold. Several smaller sales, at each of which up to 100 bulls have been entered, have been held within a radius of 50 miles of Auckland during the past month, while today the biggest fixture of the season opens at Claudelands in the combined breeders’ pedigree sale, which is scheduled to take four days. At Pukekohe yesterday, Messrs. Alfred Buckland and Sons,' Ltd., held the annual pedigree and grade bull sale, when approximately 340 head were yarded. Buyers came from all l parts of the Franklin district. The quality of the offering generally | was not exceptionally high. Grade bulls made up a big percentage of the yarding. Many lacked finish; many were in poor condition on which to start the season. Few even lines came straight from breeders’ farms. ■ For the most part, .the animals were resales by farmers who had apparently bought better sires with a view to improving their herds. Many of the young grade bulls were out of hightesting herd cows. Competition was not exceptionally keen at a ny part of the sale. While there were many fine types of herd bulls, particularly Jerseys, there was nothing of outstanding quality to draw premium prices. Of the pedigree Jersey bulls, 18 months to 25-y'ear-old animals sold at 20 guineas to 28 guineas; yearlings, at 12 guineas to 15 guineas; and adult bulls at 12 guineas to 18 guineas. Of the grade Jerseys. IS-months to 25-year-old bulls realised 12 guineas to 16 guineas, and yearling bulls 7 guineas to 10 guineas. Pedigree Shorthorn yearlings brought 7 guineas to 10 guineas; two-3-ear-old to three-3”ear-old bulls, 16 guineas to 25 guineas; and heavier bulls. 5 guineas to 10 guineas. Pedigree 3 r earling Ayrshires sold at 7 guineas to 10 guineas, and a pedigree Friesian at 8 guineas. Grade Friesian yearlings realised 21 guineas to 51 ‘guineas.