By Johan Norval
The Merino stud farm Oorlogspoort Prestige Fine Wool Merinos of Chris van Rooyen and his son Pieter held its 38th production auction on 12 February, and it attracted buyers from the four corners of the Eastern Karoo (also referred to as the Grass Karoo) to the farm.
Pieter says Oorlogspoort’s barn sits at the crossroads of the tarred roads connecting Middelburg, Colesberg, Venterstad and Steynsburg. His grandfather, also Pieter van Rooyen, was one of the leaders in the wool industry several decades ago. The Oorlogspoort River runs through their farm.
Owen Poultney from Willowmore bought a Merino ram (23.550) for R19 000 – the highest price achieved at the auction. The 35 Oorlogspoort rams achieved an average price of R5 300.
Of the production sheep that were auctioned, 250 B-grade wethers (castrated sheep) were sold at R34,50/kg, 850 store lambs at R41/kg, 906 store ewes at R27,41/kg and 100 slaughter lambs at R100/kg.
Vleissentraal Port Elizabeth hosted the auction on Oorlogspoort, near Noupoort, and André van Zyl was the auctioneer
