Tarata Hills stud held its annual Wiltshire ram, ewe and lamb sale in South Hillend, Central Southland last week.
Of the 28 rams offered, 27 sold for an average of about $1800 including three sharing a top price of $3500 each, stud owner Tom Day said.
"It was a really fun day."
The top price at the annual sale was $9500 last year, but the average was higher this year.
"We didn’t have the higher prices we saw last year but the average was solid, which was quite cool."
More buyers were bidding on sheep this year, he said.
"There were massive numbers at the sale and heaps of new clients."
Most of the rams were bought by farmers in the South Island, he said.
A full clearance of nearly 400 ewes sold for between $352 and $384.
Ewe lambs sold for between $170 and $250.
•Sheep sale prices were strong in other parts of the South last week.
PGG Wrightson agent Barry McAlister, of Winton, said there was a full clearance at the store lamb sale in Parawa, Northern Southland.
Vendor Rosie Hore held the inaugural store lamb sale to be able to run more beef cattle, Mr McAlister said.
About 2300 Romney wether lambs sold for between $141 and $186 each.
Lamb prices were up about $50 a head, when compared to private sales of similar livestock in the same district last season.
Romney ewe lambs fetched $160.
Texel cross mixed-sex lambs sold for between $132 and $180.
Mixed-age Romney ewes sold for $191.
About half of the sheep sold to Canterbury clients and the rest stayed in Southland, Mr McAlister said.
• Rural Livestock agent Mark Sheppard said there was full clearance of the Romney and Texel cross sheep on offer at the Broad Ridge Farms capital stock sale near Hillend, South Otago last week.
The vendors were selling their livestock as they were leasing their farm, he said.
About 3000 mixed-aged ewes sold for between $222 and $402.
"The prices are exceptional, probably the best we’ve ever seen," Mr Sheppard said.
