KEITH
Yarding: 17,500
1.5yo ewes to $270
5.5yo ewes to $164
Wether lambs to $106
YOUNG Merino ewes sold to a top of $270 at the Keith off-shears sale on Friday, as buyers squelched their way through the muddy yards.
There was some expectation prices could have been higher with the buoyant wool and meat prices, but annual sellers were delighted with their top young ewes making about $50 more than 2015.
The top quality yarding was the largest in years at about 17,500 head, compared to 12,000 last year.
The majority of the ewes were absorbed into the Lower South East, with some heading to the Vic Mallee.
Geoff and Bernadette Davidson, Moorundie, topped the sale with 217 August-shorn Moorundie-blood MN3 status 1.5-year-old ewes, knocked down at $270 to the Hancock family, Reedy Creek, through Miller Whan & John Kingston.
Moorundie’s second pen of 240 made $246.
DP&MM Densley notched up a $250 average for their 820 Dalveen-blds.
Their top run of 734 was split four ways, including 200 making $262 to TDC Penola and another 234 at $260 to P&L Livestock, Millicent.
Allen’s Warrawee Park made a successful return to the Keith yards after selling on-property. Their 800 Warrawee Park-bld 1.5yo ewes sold to $256 and averaged $254, while their 5.5yo ewes set the pace, with 300 selling to Landmark Tintinara at $164. Overall their 594 5.5yo averaged $157.
Lines Family Partnership sold 608 1.5yo ewes from their Paraweena and Byfield properties at Keith to $254 and averaged $230, while GG Lines & Sons, Gum Hill, Mount Bryan, received $248 for 400 ewes.
Another sale highlight was the dispersal of Alf and Annette Densley’s Nyowee flock, which received strong bidding, particularly on 305 3.5yo ewes, which made $246 and $244. Nyowee’s 816 ewe lambs sold to $152, av $147.
Allen’s Warrawee Park sold 621, 5-6-month-old wether lambs for $106 to Elders Bordertown and another 610 to Rodwells Horsham at $100.
Makin Nominees sold 204 Moorundie-bld wether lambs, av 38 kilograms, for $97.
Spence Dix & Co auctioneer Luke Schreiber praised the depth of quality in the yarding and said prices reflected this, with many young ewes making $220 to $260.
“It was hard work getting bids but the sheep were getting the values in the end – it is not where you start, it is where you finish,” he said.
“There is no doubt there is a bit of bounce in the sheep job and a very good season as far as the eye can see.”
Landmark Keith livestock manager Noel Evans said it was a solid sale for all classes of sheep without the “extreme tops” seen at Lameroo.
“It was a very good yarding of sheep which it is every year,” he said.
“People down south may have come expecting to pay a bit more, but rates of $260-$270 for the best young ewes are still very good. There has been so many sheep sold in the past week with Jamestown and Nhill, Vic, the previous day and Hay, NSW, plus AuctionsPlus.”
