Prices bid for Merino ewes were consistent for type and quality at the Swan Hill November store sheep sale on Thursday.
The best priced in a yarding of approximately 8000 was sold at $220 a head.
Offered by I & K Gibson, Moulamein and sold to BRC Agents Swan Hill, these were a line of 321 Caroonboon-blood young ewes, June//July 17-drop and September-shorn.
M&H Crozier, Wentworth, NSW sold the next best priced at $190 a head. These were a line of 221 Keri Keri-blood young ewes, June//July 17-drop that were also September shorn.
Another pen of young ewes to sell well were a pen of 390 offered by Mildura Pastoral. These were a North Ashrose-blood lot that were sold to a buyer interest from Echuca.
Other pens of 17-drop, spring-shorn young ewes made from $106 to $172 while three pens of breeders’ 18-drop ewe lambs - lots that normally kept but let go due to the horrific grazing conditions in western NSW, made $83 to $114 a head.
In fact, a large portion of the November yarding were consigned from far western NSW and closer in western Riverina station properties and most reflected tough grazing condition endured in this country over the past 12 months.
Two yards of 16-drop ewes were offered in the November sale, these making $135 and $138 a head while the display of wether lambs, which were mostly dry and seasonally affected, made from $48 to $68 for unshorn lots, and $54 to $84 for those October-shorn.
The demand for crossbred store lambs, which were sold in the amongst the run of butchers sheep in the fortnightly prime market that followed soon after, was also quality driven.
These made from $100 to $135 a head while lambs sold to the processors made $140 to $155 for the weights and $160 to $170 for the heavier export weights.
Store lamb buyers to purchase came from Sea Lake, Mildura, Ouyen, Birchip and the local Swan Hill area.
The sale was conducted by Swan Hill agents, BRC Agents, Landmark and Elders.
