Restockers from the southwest of Victoria, where good rains have fallen, played a key role in the purchase of lambed and scanned-in-lamb ewes at Wycheproof store sheep sale on Friday.
Placing successful bids between $210 to a market top of $248 a head, buyers from the Hamilton district filled multiple trucks of crossbred breeding stock while buyers from Wimmera areas had great impact on the Merino section of the yarding.
The sale of 6850, conducted by Elders, returned a better than expected result given the dry state of the north and northwest areas.
Auctioneer Kevin Thompson said that there was good competition on all lots although the buying gallery was not overly large.
“Our vendors will be happy as most lots were sold for more than was anticipated,” Mr Thompson said.
Topping the market, at $248 a head, a pen of April/May 17-drop Border Leicester Merino-cross young ewes, scanned in lamb to White Suffolk rams drew plenty of attention for Nedna P/L while a yard of 100 BLM ewes, April-17, April shorn, scanned also in lamb to WS rams made $244 a head for TR & BP Inkster.
Both lots along with yards of 2012 and 2011-drop September-shorn BLM ewes, with 125% of Poll Dorset lambs at foot bought at $234 and $200 from Noel McNaulty of Logan all went to Hamilton in an 1100 head haul of the market Ray White Keatley.
Pens of unjoined BLM young lambs were also eagerly sought by down country buyers making $190 to $210 a head while scanned in lamb Merino ewes made $156 to $188 a head for the larger framed and better conditioned and $115 to $145 for the plainer lots, with processors also successful on a number lots.
