TOP young crossbred ewes met consistent demand to make $160 to $186 a head at the Elders Wycheproof October special sheep sale on Friday.
Selling 10 or so pens at this money, buyers from the central and western areas of the state appeared keen to purchase in spite of the warm and dry conditions.
Elders Wycheproof branch manager Jim Coffey said the season has gone pear-shaped across much of the western half of the state, with a lot of the region’s land-owners under pressure from limited feed and water. But he said there was still a good level of inquiry for sheep for north-west stubbles, which would soon begin to open up due to an earlier than start to the grain harvest.
Warracknabeal producer, Ken Hinckley, trading as Ky Pastoral, sold the opening pen of the market priced at $186 a head. This was a yard of 195 Border Leicester Merino-cross ewes, May/June 13-drop that was August-shorn and Gudair vaccinated.
They were sold to Elders Bendigo while TB White and Sons Ballarat bid as a repeat buyer a price of $181 a head for RN & DE Simpson’s line of 125 BLM-cross ewes from Berriwillock that were September shorn.
Kaniera & Shirley of Culgoa then offered a line of 360 July-August 13-drop young ewes that made $181 for the first out the gate of 250 head while the reminding 130 head were re-offered and made $172.
A second pen sold account K&S from Culgoa made $164 and were trucked to Kyneton.
Other pens of young crossbred young ewes made $153-$166 while several pens of three and four year-old crossbred ewes made $108- $128 a head.
Jim Coffey said the sale’s penning of BLM-cross 14-drop ewe lambs met subdued inquiry as prices varied from $74, to a top of $130 a head.
The ewe lamb best-price was achieved by PM & AG O’Shannessy for mulesed and Gudair vaccinated pen of 251 April/May-drop.
RE, SE & AJ Coatsworth of Teddywaddy West sold a March/April-drop of 450, September shorn that made to $128 and averaged $126 while other pens of smaller and later drop ewe lambs made $82-$108.
An excellent display of Merino ewes saw better-styled pens of young ewes make $120-$164, and older ewes $90-$100.
The sale featured the dispersal of the RH Supple and Sons’ Glendemar-blood flock from Paradise near St Arnaud that was August shorn and mulesed.
The Supply and Sons’ three-year-old ewes were the best supported making $156 on a bid placed by Rodwells Horsham while a pen of their two year-old younger sisters made $154, and their one year-olds, $108.
However the market’s best priced Merino ewes were sold at $164 a head. These were a breeder line of 305 Woodpark-blood ewes that were August-shorn.
Sold by Phil Reeding, Elston Rural, Wallaloo East these were purchased by Eddie Clarke of Rushworth who plans a joining to White Suffolk rams.
Other pens of young Merino ewes, not station mated, made $120-$142 while pens of older ewes made $90- $105.
The demand for wethers was keen with widespread grazier support overwhelming the demand from the trade.
Pens of 1-2 year-old wethers made $74- $101 a head while pens of 14-drop wether lambs made $60-$74.
A pen of 481 Supple and Sons 2.5-year-old Glendemar-blood wethers, August shorn, made to $101 a head and averaged $96 while their year-younger brothers made $96.
Elders Wycheproof and surrounding branches conducted the sale.