MORE than 13,000 Merino-Border Leicester lambs were sold at the 23rd Cooranga first-cross sale on Friday in the largest feature on-property sale of its type in SA.
The 13,478 Merino-Border Leicester lambs offered for sale returned an average of $121.26 with the sale grossing $1.63 million.
The solid reputation and high performance of the Cooranga first-cross lambs, for both breeding and fattening, drew a large crowd of new and repeat buyers from Padthaway, Penola, Mt Gambier, Millicent, Bordertown, Naracoorte, Lucindale and Portland and Kaniva, Vic.
Ian James, Jim James and Wendy James-Ross and their families, offered 6850 first-cross ewe lambs, which sold to a top of $172, av $141.50. They also sold 6450 wether lambs topping at $125, av $100.72.
Even with the season shutting off early, the exceptional yarding of lambs meant prices for ewe lambs were similar to 2013, averaging $141.50 - which was only a touch under last year’s average of $143. Wether lambs recorded a jump in average from $93.85 in 2013 to $100.72.
The top line of 504 first-cross ewe lambs went three ways, the top pick of 240, going to Westech Ag, Kaniva, Vic, at $172.
Pinkerton Palm Hamlyn & Steen, Penola, took a run of 164 at $168, with Sam O’Connor, O’Connor & Graney, Mt Gambier, securing the remaining 100 at $166.
The entire run of 777 seconds, sold to South West Farmers, Portland, Vic, for $167.
* Full report in Stock Journal, December 4, 2014 issue.
