After years of poor returns and against a background of falling commodity prices, embattled sheep farmers are getting some respite. The price of many classes of sheep has doubled in the past 12 months. At yesterday's Temuka sale the top price for a line of young border-romney ewes was $188 a sheep. Demand was focused on quality, young stock with buyers from Marlborough to Southland keen to buy reports the Timaru Herald. PGG Wrightson livestock manager Joe Higgins called it a strong sale, with 16,000 two-tooths and ewes yarded and sold. However, older sheep may have sold at less than sellers hoped for as there were fewer buyers for them. Mr Higgins said last year's drought, destocking and the move to dairying had all reduced sheep numbers. The best of the two-tooths sold for between $150 and $180, when last year the best two-tooths did not even reach $100. Mr Higgins said many farmers had chosen to send hoggets to the works in spring when they killed for $90 to $110. "Those few farmers who carried them to be two-tooths were well rewarded for their efforts," he said. For capital stock two-shear ewes ranged from $120 to $140, three-shear ewes ranged from $90 to $120 and four-shear made from $70 to $100. Mixed-aged sheep, which were not capital stock, made from $75 to $110. "We sold a lot of those ewes in clearing sales last year in their 30s [dollars]. In some cases they would be three times what they were worth then." Mr Higgins said some farmers were looking to return to sheep or build up flocks.
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