One man’s trash is another’s treasure

 Until a few years ago many animals were walked sometimes over one-three days under permits from local councils, and requiring some cooperation where herds were liable to meet or have to cross different roads. More vehicle traffic and regulations now mean that most stock are shifted by trucks; only farm gear and chattels are taken by road.

Also during this season are clearing sales, from late March to early May. They happen when farm owners have sold their farms and/or contract or sharemilkers cannot get a milking contract or have decided to leave the industry for the last time. 

Everything must go: stock and equipment sometimes 20 years old and often described by neighbours as junk. Equipment and implements are lined up, and scrubbed or waterblasted to help the auctioneer to extract another dollar from a reluctant bidder with the comment “cared for… beautifully presented,” etc.

Invariably the machinery and equipment ends up in miscellaneous boxes, sold to a low bidder, proving the old adage “one man/woman’s trash is another’s treasure.” 

Catering used to be done by local playcentre or school PTA ladies keen to raise cash. These days are more professional: mobile food vendors sell hot food and drinks throughout the sale.

The farm gear is sold first, followed by the livestock, the milking herd then the heifers and finally the yearling calves. 

A recent successful clearing sale was held on behalf of Steve and Dawn Rumney at Piarere, 12km from Matamata

They had owned the farm for the last 21 years and it sold at auction on April 23 to an Australian who saw it online and had a friend visit.

“I had been a butcher for nine years before farming. Now, after 30 years on wet concrete, a knee operation seven years ago and now the other knee telling me something, we decided to sell,” said Rumney. Immediately following the auction they contacted RD1 Livestock and booked May 15 for the sale.

“It’s been full on; we had been busy doing open days before the farm auction and then we had only three weeks until the clearing sale.”

Rumney first assembled his machinery in a paddock adjacent to the dairy shed and goods and chattels in a storage shed. They then assembled and collated his herd breeding and production records and had catalogues printed. On sale day information sheets were available for would-be buyers containing BW, PW and LW figures for all animals plus calving dates. 

The sundries were sold outside on a fine day, but auctioneer RD1 Livestock erected portable yards and a waterproof pavilion for the livestock sale. They were sold in lots of two, with each animal’s details printed on a board for all buyers to see as they went through the ring.

This long established CRV Ambreed Friesian herd was all sold, prices averaging $1930. Said Rumney, “We were expecting about $1700.” Heifers gained $1680 per head and calves $675 per head.

“This was a well-bred herd with excellent records and in great condition; the prices reflected that,” said RD1 agent in charge Kelly Higgins.