The Waimea saleyards in Brightwater can see up to 80,000 sheep and close to 10,000 cattle annually traded through the yards. Ian Parkes is the chairman of directors for the Waimea Saleyards Company and described how last month they saw a record three sales held within a single week; a special adult cattle sale, a normal sale plus yearling cattle, and on the third day a Wrightsons dairy bull sale.
Ian said numbers through the yards did not appear to be decreasing even though people say stock numbers are going down, commenting how people are becoming more specialised at farming - lamb finishers or producing store lambs, and also how the yards represent an equal place to change stock ownership.
"The strength of the weekly sales are the lifestyle blocks around here, small blocks can bring their stock here, they may have only a handful of sheep and they can be split into the appropriate lines and sold accordingly - that's probably the biggest advantage. And it's a great opportunity for small farmers and block owners to purchase small mobs of sheep. When they come, they come strong, when the grass is growing they are strong purchasers that can create an inferno," Ian added.
The three days of sales last month featured more traditional farmers unloading stock, with quite a few yearling cattle that were an overflow from earlier spring market sales in September, which Ian described as successful, with stock selling very strongly.
Regarding the previous sales Ian commented, "this has been one of the first sales like this where stock has all stayed local with none going out of the district. It's a combination of reasons, we've had rain and Nelson has got feed now for the first time in a long time, also North Island prices have eased and consequently its not as feasible to take them north."
A strong sheep market in the Nelson district means that stock is attracted from Marlborough and as far afield as Central Otago because of the dry, and they come here looking for greener grass, and for both the North Island and local markets. Eighteen months ago they changed from Tuesday to a Wednesday market to link up with the Straitsman shipping, and as a better day for outside buyers that doesn't compete with the Blenheim sales on Tuesday.
More recently a new multi-purpose sheep ramp was installed, adjustable for 1-4 deck trucks, and prior to that an ex Alliance Meat Works multi-deck cattle ramp was installed that is proving successful, speeding up the delivery and unloading time for long distance freight trucks with double decks for cattle.
"We are going to replace some of the cattle pens with steel pens and lift a level so they are all the same height," Ian said. "The plan for getting the steel pens is in place, and they will hopefully be ready for the calf fairs in April 2002."
Improvements also include stock proofing the holding paddocks with deer fencing, a job presently held up by a shortage of netting corresponding with the rural upturn, and increasing the water facilities in the yards so stock have more access to more water. And hygiene is the biggest issue according to Ian.
"If we can keep the hygiene up in the yards, keep them clean and presentable they'll stay here a long time. The land is zoned industrial, it's a very central location and the pub is right next door," he said, "in fact it's actually just moved closer."
