Nhill and Kaniva ewe and wether sale dominated by Wimmera buyers

Agents yarded about 6500 sheep on Thursday as buyers from across the Wimmera descended on the saleyards to buy with confidence after a buoyant start to spring.

The sale was overseen by two agencies, DMD and Westech Ag Kyle Livestock, and featured mixed-aged breeding Merino ewes and wethers, and ewe and wether lambs.

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DMD director Andrew McIllree said prices were driven by a range of buyers.

"We had buyers from Ararat and Warracknabeal and across the Wimmera," he said.

"Some of the younger sheep lacked a bit of bloom but the mature-aged breeding ewes presented well.

"The wether lambs, due to the wet and cold conditions, lacked quality but still had plenty of growth."

Westech Ag Kyle Livestock agent Jock Maddern said demand for well-bred ewes and wethers was equally strong.

"We were really happy with how our lots sold and topped the sale with a pen of 76 ewes at $320," he said.

SH, AF, AM & RA Clark, Kiata, sold the top-priced lot of 1.5-year-old Merino ewes to a client at Elders Warracknabeal.

"The top young ewes were really solid, but as you got onto some more cull-like ewes, the job became a bit harder.

"When we got back on to mixed-aged ewes, the well-breed sheep really picked up and the job became stronger."

Mr Maddern said nearly all of the sheep went back to local buyers within a 100-kilometre radius of Nhill.

"Demand for wether lambs at the store market was very strong," he said.

"This was due to people not cutting hay and instead putting lambs back onto the feed.

"Overall we're enjoying one of the best feed seasons for livestock for quite some time and that's given people a lot of confidence.

E Dart & Sons, Nhill, sold 232 Merino ewes, 1.5 years, for $296.

Account B & C Blackwood, Nhill, sold 142 Merino ewes, 1.5 years, for $228.

Nariel, Lawloit, sold 416 Merino ewes, 2.5 years, for $318.

D & C Clark sold 167 Merino ewes, 3.5 years, for $244.

Account Koop Agri, Woorak, sold 187 Merino ewes, 4.5 years, with 240 White Suffolk lambs at foot for $294.

Account Lucerne Grove, Miram, sold 264 Merino ewe lambs for $172, and 258 wether lambs for $152.

AS Cook, Diapur, sold 232 Merino wether lambs for $132.

Account L Wallace, Woorak, sold 100 Merino wethers, 1.5 years, for $142.

CA & JM Smith, Yanak, sold 186 Merino ewes, 1.5 years, for $260.

The Smith family also sold 328 wether lambs at $140.

MHG Farming, Kaniva, sold 225 young wether lambs, May 2022-drop, for $128.