Full clearance at last big sale for season

Canterbury cropping farmers flocked to the Maniototo for the last big lamb sale in the South Island for the season.

PGG Wrightson North Otago livestock manager Mark Yeates, of Oamaru, said there was a full clearance of the more than 17,000 sheep on offer at the annual Maniototo Last Muster Lamb Sale at Waipiata Saleyards last week.

The saleyards were at capacity, he said.

"There was not a spare pen."

A "firm market" included many repeat buyers especially from cropping operations in Mid Canterbury.

He estimated more than 80% of the yarding was sold to farmers in Canterbury.

Demand was strong across all lamb breeds on offer.

Top lambs sold from $140 to $164.

The top halfbred wether lambs made from $130 to $150.

The top halfbred ewe lambs sold from $140 to $150.

Medium halfbred wether lambs and halfbred ewe lambs fetched from $120 to $130.

The rest of the lambs on offer sold for between $100 and $120.

Some crossbred and blackface terminal lambs were "sprinkled through the yarding".

"The better end of of those were from $120 to $135."

The top price paid on the day was $164 a head for a pen of 169 Romney male lambs supplied by Maniototo farmer Steve Blakely.

A "terrific autumn" had been great for growing winter crops, increasing demand for trading and finishing stock.

"The amount of feed around for this time of year is really great."

shawn.mcavinue@alliedpress.co.nz