The headwinds created by supply and demand issues hitting local prime sheep markets were reflected in the results of Nutrien's store sheep sale at Wycheproof on Friday.
The spring sale saw 4250 sheep penned for bidding by what was a small band of buyers.
Nutrien auctioneer Nick Byrne, Bendigo, said the yarding comprised of 1200 first-cross sheep and 3000 Merinos, principally bred from the local area.
Mr Byrne said it was an outstanding lineup of Merino sheep in particular.
"We knew it would be a sluggish day with the current industry and climatic conditions," he said.
"All the sheep were here for a reason, and a positive was that we found a home for them all."
Young Merino sheep traded from $100-$150 a head, joined crossbred ewes from $100-$160, joinable ewe lambs to $150 and "turning-out ewe lambs" from $80-$130.
A good draft of Merino wethers made $60-$70.
Mr Byrne said one positive was that all the sheep were sold to restockers despite some competition from trade buyers.
He said support was particularly strong from Bendigo and Ballarat buyers but sheep also went to the Wimmera, western Mallee, Ararat and local Wycheproof and Boort buyers.
A feature draft of the sale was a consignment from ST & JJ Verley, Boort.
Mr Byrne said the sheep were two and three-years-old, and were only on the market as a result of a partial dispersal of the Verley flock.
He said the consignment was presented in "magnificent" condition and would cut a "power of wool" and do very well for the purchasers.
The offering of 470 Merino ewes, 2022- drop, January-shorn, Collinsville-blood, depastured to White Suffolk rams from November 15 to December 31 and scanned in lamb at 130 per cent, sold in three drafts, with 200 making $148, 150 at $138 and 120 making $110.
The three-year-old portion, same description, sold in two lines with 200 making $150 and 380 going for $141.
Mr Byrne said there had been a lot of volatility in the mutton market as a result of lambs using a lot of the killing space and processors not killing as much mutton as they normally would.
He said lambs coming from Western Australia added to the glut but that may slow as recent rainfall in WA impacted numbers coming east.
While that might not result in a significant lift in lamb prices, he said it might provide an injection in the mutton market if those works took on a few more mutton.
Another significant draft was a consignment sold by Malbereg that hit the market due to the owner's health reasons.
Tops of the line was a pen of 180 that were May/June 2021-drop, August-shorn, and depastured to White Suffolk rams since January 22.
These went for $130 to a Nutrien Bendigo account.
The 2022-drop portion of 145 in the consignment made $100, as did a pen of 195 2020-drop ewes.
A pen of 216 Merino ewes, 2022-drop, February-shorn, Kamballie-blood, joined to Suffolk rams, sold by K Back for $100.
The same vendor sold 182 ewes, April/May 2022-drop, Gatepines West-blood, SIL to Suffolk rams, for $100.
Murray Haw, Kiriwina, Durham Ox, sold a consignment that included a pen of 126 Merino ewes, August/September 2021-drop, Oakbank-blood, February-shorn, and depastured to White Suffolk rams on February 14, that made $112.
The 2022-drop portion of 89, same description, made $100.
The same vendor sold a pen of 241 Merino wethers, 2022-drop, February-shorn, for $72, and a second pen of 308 for $72.
J & K Head sold 134 SAAM-cross ewes, June/July 2020-drop, February-shorn, Nantoura-blood, SIL at 140pc to Border Leicester rams, for $150.
The same vendor sold 123 Merino ewes, 2020-drop, SIL at 135pc, that sold for $126.
Top pen of first-cross Border Leicester/Merino-cross ewes was the opening pen of the sale, which was 75 sold by Hughes that were SIL at 147pc, that made $160.
John and Pam Phillips, Strathlea, who are retiring, sold a top pen of 119 first-cross ewes, two-years-old, SIL to White Suffolk rams, making $152, and a line of 110 ewes, four and five-years-old, for $130.
Of the 2023-drop first-cross ewe lambs, a pen of 101, unjoined, November-shorn, sired by Blackgate and Chandivan rams, sold for $151.
A pen of 106 sold by the same breeder made $149, and a third draft of 54 made $130.
Peter Smith, Yarrawalla, sold two pens of first-cross lambs, June/July-drop, November-shorn, by Cadell rams and out of Riverina-bred ewes.
One pen of 210 sold for $120 and 188 sold for $100.
