AGMARDT seeks the sector’s input

THE highest price paid for a Suffolk ram at auction in New Zealand was $16,500 for Collie Hills 242/20 at the Canterbury A&P Elite Ram and Ewe Sale, Christchurch, last week.

Vendors Eric Ross and Wade Newlands, Hakataramea, topped the elite ram fair for the third year in a row and were happy with their average when two further rams fetched $6400 and $4300.

The purchaser who set the record price was Annabel Tripp of Snowdown Station, Lake Coleridge.

Colie Hills 242/20 was 75kg at 200 days, was number one in SIL for the stud and scanned with eye muscle area of 27.6 cubic centimetres.

Suffolks had the largest section among 140 entries drawn from 14 sheep breeds.

Second-top price was $9000 paid for Dry Creek 79/20, bred by Anton Gibson, Middlemarch.

Dorset Down rams reached $6000 for Belview 475/20 from the Dodds family, Oamaru, who also sold at $4000.

Glasnevin Dorset Downs, Helen Lang, Amberley, received $5500 for her ram 74/20.

Southdown rams reached $5700 for Willowhaugh 152/20, Ian and Christina Jordan, Blenheim.

Vendor Brent Macaulay, Lincoln, made $4800 for Southdown Maclaka 6/20.

The Edgecombe family at Rolleston sold Maple Texel 20283/20 for $4500.

The highest price made for a Romney ram was $3500 by Chrome Hills 5/20 from the Irvines, Nelson.

In both Corriedales and Border Leicesters the top was $2500 for vendors the Wilson family, Christchurch and the Westmere Farming, Ashburton, respectively.

In on-farm ram sales in Canterbury, Rangiatea Beltex, Blair and Sara Gallagher, Mt Somers, had a top price of $11,500 for a purebred two-tooth, paid by Jeff Hall, Wairoa Farm.

The average for the 14 purebred rams sold was $5500, for the 29 Beltex-Suffolks it was $1285, for the 34 Beltex-Texels $1035 and for the 10 Beltex-Cheviots $1225.

The Gallaghers said the sale was strong and consistent and attracted buyers from all over the country.

At nearby Meadowslea Genetics Fairlie, the Giddings family had the largest single-vendor, on-farm sale, selling 300 rams out of 324 offered for an average price of just under $1500.

Top price was $3300 paid twice for the Romneys in lots 1 and 2 by Tim Cameron, Curnow, and Rodney Ruxton, Outram.

The average paid for Romney rams was $1600 through the Helmsman system running on the Giddings’ own YourBid electronic platform.

Over 2000 bids were placed during the day by on-farm and remote bidders.

Over 100 registered buyers participated in the sale, with rams transported as far south as Tuatapere and as far north as southern Hawke’s Bay.

David Giddings said threequarters of bidders registered before the sale, giving him a chance to talk over their requirements.

“With buoyant sheepmeat prices and good spring moisture there is positive sentiment in the sheep industry and despite offering more rams this year, we enjoyed a very strong clearance of rams,” Giddings said.

Texel-Romney rams sold out, as did 88 black-faced Kelso Terminals, with a top price of $3200.

The Romdale, Perendale-TexelRomney, Romney-Texel, KelsoRomney and Kelso Maternal breeds also sold strongly.

Merrydowns Romneys and Southdowns sold 180 rams from 213 offered and had a top price of $9500 for the Southdowns and $4800 for the Romneys.

Another Southdown ram made $6500 for vendors Blair and Sally Roberston of Gore.

Their average price achieved across both breeds was $1678, slightly ahead of previous years.

Glendhu Dorset Down 13/20 made $7800 for vendors Fraser Fletcher and Susie Burrows of Heriot.

They sold 60 Coopworth and Dorset Down rams in a combined sale with Ashaig Farm Coopworths, George and Elaine Fletcher, Cromwell, who had a top price of $4000 among 40 sold.

THE Agricultural and Marketing Research and Development Trust (AGMARDT) is partnering with Colmar Brunton in a survey to better understand the opportunities and challenges of the food and fibres sector in New Zealand.

AGMARDT general manager Lee-Ann Marsh says a core focus of the survey is identifying barriers to innovation.

“Our whole mission at AGMARDT is to support and develop new thinkers, innovative initiatives and emerging leaders who will help shape a positive future for the food and fibres sector,” Marsh said.

“We want to better understand what it’s like out there, what is the experience of those considering and seeking funding and what we can do as a funding organisation to enhance our support for innovators and leaders across the sector.”

AGMARDT is inviting both past and prospective funding applicants to participate in the 10-minute survey.

“We’d particularly love to hear from anyone who may be thinking about an idea or innovation or undertaking leadership development, but hasn’t applied for AGMARDT funding in the past. Your input will be extremely valuable. We thank you in advance for your time,” she said.

The survey runs between December 2 and December 9.

You can complete it here: bit.ly/ agmardtsurvey

For every survey completed, AGMARDT will make a small donation to the Rural Support Trust.

Marsh says there will also be a second phase of the project in the new year, surveying industry influencers who advise and mentor innovators and leaders.