PRICES paid for store sheep at Sale earlier today were comparable with larger markets across the state, exceeding $200 a head.
Although a small yarding for the annual store sale, there were some good lambs and ewes on offer. Most popular were first-cross ewes.
Greg Wrigglesworth of FOB livestock agents, Sale, said the annual sale used to pull larger numbers of sheep.
“But, with the largely irrigation country hereabouts attracting beef and dairy investors, the number of sheep locally has dropped off considerably,” he said.
“It’s different around Bairnsdale, there are still good numbers of sheep breeders there.”
He also said a lot of people were holding onto their ewes, while they had excess pasture and the market showed it was worth breeding as many lambs as possible.
Given that, there were still a large number of farmers present, along with butchers and abattoirs.
Local re-stockers and those with the country to grow on lambs were keen buyers, with the largest consignment, of 446 head, bought by Ian Kyle of Ashley Park, Bairnsdale.
Bidding started at $160 and climbed steadily to the top price of $201/head for 80 first-cross Border Leicester-Merino (BLM) ewes, 1.5 year-old, April shorn, vendor WB&MN Hawkins.
The second consignment from the same vendor returned $194/head.
Mark Lee of Bushy Park sent in 167 first-cross five-year-old BLM ewes, depastured to rams on December 23. Mr Lee also sent in five rams.
The first 100 ewes sold for $128 each, along with three rams. The second consignment, with the remaining rams sold for $123/head.
A further pen of 118 six-year-old BLM ewes, also depastured, sold for $110/head.
Rory Blandford of Meerlieu sent in 207 November shorn, 1.5yo Merino ewes, Pendarra and Bindawarra bloodlines, that sold to $97.
Store lambs almost made the ton. A consignment of 70 Merino sucker lambs, December shorn, from AD&KM Jones, sold for $91.
NT Collins of Woodside sent in a line of 573 Merino lambs, just weaned, that made a top of $89/head.
There were a number of rams on offer on the day.
K&J Heywood of Dutson Downs sold 10 White Suffolk rams, to a top of $400. VA Lidstone of Toora sent in 1.5yo flock registered Border Leicester rams, selling three for $350 each.
In a small yarding of fat lambs before the store sale, Kim Mowat of Stradbroke was “very happy” to realise $117.60/head for sucker fat lambs straight off their mothers.
“Today’s prices are very promising for the local market,” said Elders agent, Morgan Davies.
