Quality Border Leicester/Merino first-cross ewes grown via plenty of local feed kept spirits high with buyers eager to purchase excellent quality during Friday's 2023 annual Premier Blue Ribbon First Cross Ewe Sale in Bendigo.
Many pens of ewes and ewe lambs were back significantly compared to last year's sale, but regular prices of $200 achieved for top pens was still considered a great outcome, according to McKean McGregor livestock director Alex Collins.
"It was an exceptional run of ewe lambs as well as one-year-old and 1.5-year-old sheep here at Bendigo, which people have become accustomed to," he said.
"We've got specialist breeders that present this sheep and really have done well to give magnificent condition every year at this fixture."
He said while agents and vendors recognised the prices currently favoured buyers, the condition at today's sale helped boost prices a little compared to the general market.
"I'm really pleasantly surprised probably with how things are at with the quality of sheep and how they are sold at the moment," he said.
The James Cartwright Memorial award for the day's top price went to Rodney Bloom, Bridgewater, who sold a pen of 179 July/August 2022-drop ewes bred from specially selected classed SA and WA bld ewes for $234.
Most of the 1.5 and one-year-old ewes sold between $180-$230, while second drafts of one-year-old ewes also sold between $160-$180.
Agents yarded about 29,000 sheep, 13,826 ewes averaging $162, while 15,444 ewe lambs averaged $130.
The draft ewe lambs did nearly as well as their older sisters.
Alex Collins said many pens of ewe lambs were in excess of $190, "which was a really positive thing".
"We haven't seen that at any other recent sales or on the digital platforms lately, and I thought the middle run of ewe lambs sold exceptionally well," he said.
"There was a strong base through there, and toward the end, lighter ewe lambs probably did a fraction more than expected."
The Collins family of Bridgewater, trading as DR Collins & Partners, sold 307 April/May 2023-drop ewe lambs of excellent quality for $224 to top that run and received the best-presented award from agents for that pen.
GJ & DM Allan, Mathoura was not far away in price, with a great draft of 360 March/April 2023-drop ewe lambs sold for $204.
Andy Hay and family from Kamarooka, sold 200 head, April/May 2022-drop, for $214.
An exact year ago, Mr Hay was battling huge floods, but he said sheep throughout the yard was of great quality, despite the challenges.
"A lot of people didn't have much land after the floods, and it took about three or four months for things to pick up as feed either washed away," Mr Hay said.
"Our sheep have come up really well, but it's also an outstanding yarding here today so others have done great too."
Local farmers and plenty of agent buyers from the northeast and Gippsland competed heavily for sheep throughout the day.
Agents passed in 734 sheep while $60 was the lowest price in both the ewe and ewe lamb run.
M & B Perryman, Mysia, sold 196 head, April 2021-drop, for $224
Along with their top pen of ewe lambs, the Collins Family sold 244 head, September/October 2022-drop, for $224.
A & T Cole, Raywood, sold 170 head, May/June 2022-drop, $226.
G & M Lourie, Raywood, sold 198 head, September 2022-drop, for $205.
Golden Wattle, Quantambook, sold 100 head, April 2022-drop, for $220.
JM & PJ Darker, Boort, sold 248 head, April/May 2022-drop, for $214.
Monmoore, Laancoorie, sold 210 head, April/May 2022-drop, for $182.
