Strong Dannevirke sheep sale, July 23

These prime ewes sold on behalf of the Porongahau Rugby Club were sold by Carrfields Livestock auctioneer Phill Robson for a top price of $144/head.

In the strongest sale for July in Dannevirke both prime and store sheep sold well despite the inclement weather for much of the morning on July 23.

Prime ewes outnumbered prime lambs by 3:1 - the ewe price ranging between $144/head (sold on behalf of the Porongahau Rugby Club) for top quality animals down to $80-90/head for the medium ewes.

Bjorn Andersen could be looking for the rainbow as he achieves close to top price for these cryptorchid lambs of $137 50 from Talani Hill Partnership Pahiatua.

There were few prime lambs but their price averaged close to $130/head.

A yarding of more than 1500 store lambs was dominated by some big pens of cryptorchids from SC Brown and Waewaepa Station (both of Waitahora) and Talani Partnership of Pahiatua. They averaged $136/head and drew keen bidding from local and Hawke's Bay buyers.

A further 11 pens of smaller cryptorchids were still in demand the average overall being $130/head.

Ewe lambs numbered more than 500 and were less in demand but still at a higher price than previous weeks - the average being $111/head.

Reasons for the stronger sale are the recent increase in the lamb schedule and recent rain in the Hawke's Bay.

Phill Robson of Carrfields Livestock said there were more Hawke's Bay buyers than for a long time, adding they had not been able to buy in the autumn due to drought and then the Covid-19 lockdown. Amd, they now have some grass growth on empty pastures.

PGG Wrightson's Manager Bjorn Andersen said July sales had been quite strong and with more demand, but smaller yardings the price rise was not surprising.