MERINO young ewes made to a season's high of $196 a head at the Hay Merino breeders annual spring sale in western NSW on Friday.
The market-toppers were Alma-blood and were bred on Yarto, north of Booligal, by Greg, Helen and Robert Rogers.
The pen of 403 was March/April 2013-drop and August-shorn, while the second-top-priced sale, which were also on Alma bloodlines, were bred and offered July-shorn by nearby Booligal neighbours, the Bunyan family, Daisy Plains, NSW.
The sale-toppers were trucked south to Mathoura, NSW, by Elders Deniliquin, NSW, for clients Geoff and Dianne, Melrose, for first-cross breeding purposes, while the Daisy Plains ewes were snapped up by repeat buyer Elders Echuca.
Selecting from an outstanding yarding of almost 37,000 ewes, buyers approached the market with a good deal of apprehension, bidding three further pens of red-tag, 2013-drop ewes to prices of $172 and $176 a head before a steady stream of sales followed at $145-$168 a head on what was deemed an excellent-quality yarding given the prevailing conditions of the season.
A good number of smaller-framed and slightly plainer-in-condition ewes made $125-$140, while pens of green- and purple-tagged 2011- and 2012-drop ewes made $100-$160 a head.
Hay Merino Breeders Association president Graeme Morphett said the market was a solid affair conducted at realistic prices.
Buying support on the day covered a huge area of southern Australia.
The usual contingent of buyers arrived from eastern and southern areas of the Riverina and the Central West of NSW.
Victorian buying was also very supportive, with the Mallee and central districts featuring frequently on the buyers' report card.
However, it was noticeable that few made the journey from the lower parts of the Wimmera or the greater South West.
Bidding on the pens of aged, white-tagged, 2009-drop, five-year-old ewes was led by the graziers, with solid under-support from processors who claimed about half of the offering.
Most sales were made at $72-$100 a head, with butcher purchases pegged at an $89-a-head high.
The display of 2014-drop Merino wether lambs was far bigger than normal for this September special, with close to 18,000 head penned on the day.
Elders Hay branch manager Mark Newnham said interest from a handful of processors was strong and mostly pitched in the $60-$76-a-head price bracket.
The market top for wether lambs was $87 a head - a price secured for Burrabogie, Hay.
Read more in this week's Stock & Land.