In-lamb crossbred young ewes made to a sale-high $254 a head in an on-property flock dispersal at Glenthompson in Victoria’s Western District on Thursday.
Sold in an offering of 8,000 vendor-bred sheep by the existing owner, Joanna Cochran, Bushy Creek, the sale toppers were a depastured line to Southdown rams while all other crossbred age groups had a late December joining to Poll Dorset rams.
A total of 220 were offered in the sale topping 1.5 year-old age group while their year-older sisters, aged 2.5 years, made $252.
Stock agents from Warrnambool and Ballarat were successful buyers of these young ewe lines while buyers from Hamilton and Beaufort claimed the 3.5, 4.5 and 5.5 year-old groups at $244, $192 and $178/head respectively.
A line of 6.5 year-old Composite ewes, that were “mouthed, bagged and teat inspected for soundness were trucked to Ararat on a bid of $132.
As the selling agent, Kerr & Co Livestock principal Michael Kerr, Hamilton said the Bushy Creek crossbred lines were fully priced to the agency’s expectation. However, Merino ewe lines, which were a self-replacing flock based on Woodpark and Nyowee bloodlines and were offered as “not station mated”, he said appeared good buying on the results of current wool and meat market prices.
Sold in respective age groups, a line of 525 head of 1.5 year-old Merino young ewes made $170 and $160 selling to buyers at Hamilton and Ballarat. A pen of 393 head of 2.5 year-old ewes made $172 and $176, the 3.5 year-olds, $170 a head and the 4.5 year-olds, $165 and $150.
A selection of Merino ewes, aged from 1.5 to 5.5 years, joined to Border Leicester rams in late December, made $150- to $158 a head while 400 July-drop crossbred ewe lambs, that were trained to grain, made $160, $156 and $138 in drafted lines.
The property’s August/September 17-drop Merino ewe lambs -also trained to grain - were among the best supported on the day selling to interests at Edenhope and Ararat at $132 and $80 a head.
Three age groups of Bushy Creek-bred Merino wethers were then sold to complete the well displayed offering. A line of 426 head of 16-drop 1.5 year-olds made $155, their year-older 15-drop brothers made $136 while three drafts of 17-drop wether lambs made $70, $50 and $32.