The topsy-turvy nature of the current sheep and lamb market was reflected in a slow sale at Wycheproof on Friday.
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Despite the slow sale, buyers from across the region, as well as Ouyen and Kilmore, paid $30-$40 a head for the better-quality end of the yarding compared with the November 2023 sale.
Agents and vendors have been left scratching their heads as the prime sheep market is up at one saleyard and then down at another sale in the same week.
With that volatility, buyers at Wycheproof set their sights on a selection of scanned-in-lamb first-cross ewes offering the advantage of a quick return.
Meeting that criteria was a pen of 182 Border Leicester/Merino ewes, May/June 2021-drop, February-shorn, sold by Molongo Farms, Warracknabeal, for a sale top of $224.
The ewes were joined to Ilfracombe Poll Dorset rams and scanned with 100 multiples and 82 singles and went to an Elders Ouyen account.
The opening pen of the sale was a line of 231 first-cross ewes, August/September 2022-drop, January-shorn, SIL to Anden White Suffolk rams and sold by Trealla Farming.
The ewes carried 85 multiples and 155 singles and sold for $204 to a Kerr & Co Hamilton account.
Elders Wycheproof livestock manager Sam Crow said the yarding of just on 5000 presented well on the back of summer rain and green feed.
Mr Crow said the joined ewes were the highlight, promising a quicker return than having to wait until the spring to join a ewe lamb.
He said the presence of a processor also strengthened the market on suitable lines of ewes and lambs.
He said this sale was $30-$40 dearer than the November sale.
"There was just a bit more confidence in the job and the sheep presented pretty well," he said.
"We also had a 100 per cent clearance and the vendors were overall very happy.
"There's a lot of upside to the job with not many lambs or sheep for the winter."
Mr Crow said, season depending, the next sale could be April.
A consignment of 2020-drop first-cross ewes, November-shorn, SIL to Poll Dorset rams, sold by GT Allan in three lines.
The tops were a run of 128 at $188, while 167 made $182 and 126 made $172.
A line of 175 first-cross ewes, 2019 and 2020-drop, sold by BF & I Mortlock, for $132.
The ewes were April-shorn and SIL to White Suffolks.
Laurel Farms sold 208 first-cross ewes, 2021-drop, unjoined, for $120.
Top of the 2023-drop first-cross ewe lambs was a draft of 271 sold by Feeny Brothers, Goorop.
The ewes were April/May 2023-drop, November-shorn, and sold for $146.
O'Shannessy Brothers forwarded a draft of first-cross ewe lambs with 218, October-shorn, selling for $138 to processor, Australian Lamb Company.
Watershed West sold 179 first-cross January-shorn ewe lambs for $120.
The same vendor also sold a line of 102 Merino ewes, April/May 2022-drop, July-shorn, for $98.
Tops of the Merino ewes was a pen of 161 sold by Fermoy that made $188.
The May/June 2022-drop ewes, August-shorn, were Belka Valley blood and SIL to Suffolk and White Suffolk rams.
A consignment of Merino ewes, 2022-drop, sold by MJ & SL Foott topped at $170 for a run of 100.
The balance of 222 sold for $155.
The same vendor also forwarded a pen of 215 Merino ewes, 2023-drop, that sold for $90.
N R Weir consigned a pen of 213 Merino ewes, 2017 and 2018-drop, September-shorn, Kerrilyn-blood, depastured to White Suffolk rams, that sold for $82 to ALC.
A pen of 163 Dohne ewes, 2019-drop, December-shorn, sold by LJ & KR Ellis depastured to White Suffolk rams, made $92.
A pen of 307 Merino ewes, April/May 2022-drop, February-shorn, Sohnic-blood, sold by Sohnic Hose made $82.
Jackson Ag, St Arnaud, forwarded a draft of Merino ewes, Sohnic-blood, with a line of 248, 2022-drop, making $145.
The same vendor sold 324 ewes, 2021-drop, for $92, and 204 ewes, 2020-drop, also at $92.
Fermoy also sold 51 Merino ewes, 2020-drop, that made $100 to ALC.
