Dannevirke prime sheep sale prices still buoyant

These well-presented store ram lambs from Pekanui Farm Motea topped the store sheep prices at $116.50/head.

Pic 2: BTG290321SS2 Caption: This pen of 10 prime ewes from Justin Welsh sold for the top price of $151/head by PGG Wrightson's.

Pic 3: BTG290321SS3 Caption: Phill Robson of Carrfields sells these prime lambs for the average price of $122.50/head.

Pic 4: BTG290321SS4 Caption: These black faced prime lambs from the AJ Pinfold Trust were sold by PGG Wrightson's Matt Lorck for the top price of the sale at $141/head.

Pic 5: BTG290321SS5 Caption: These well-presented store ram lambs from Pekanui Farm Motea topped the store sheep prices at $116.50/head.

Pic 6: BTG290321SS6 Caption: Mark Crooks of PGG Wrightsons shows the life of a livestock agent involves sometimes returning jumpers back to their yard.

By Dave Murdoch

Nearly 1600 sheep were up for sale at Dannevirke on March 18, roughly half in half prime and half in store with prices being particularly good for prime ewes. One livestock agent put it down to reasonable rain the week before and the imminent shortage of ewes as scanning begins.

More than 700 prime ewes dominated the market the average being close to $130/head and those in particularly good condition selling in the realm of $150/head.

Two large yardings of prime ewes (110 and 245) sold by Carrfields Livestock for $138/head and $150/head respectively.

Prime lambs averaged $125/head with the top of $141/head for some suffolk crosses.

Store sheep consisted of small pens as farmers culled their flocks heading into winter, the exception being Pekanui Farm, which sold a line of 107 ram lambs for $115.50/head. The average price for stores hovered around $100/head depending on age and sex.