Young Merino ewes top at $300 at Keith offshears sale

Geoff and Bernadette Davidson, Moorundie, Keith, claimed the honours with the opening pen  – 207 August shorn, Moorundie blood ewes, eclipsing the previous high of $292 paid for ewes at Lameroo last year.

The MN3 ewes were knocked down to former Glenstrae Pastoral Company manager Bill Baade.

He was buying for James Cleland, Sibi Holdings, Hindmarsh Tiers, through Rodwells Horsham, Vic.

It was the second year in a row Moorundie has topped the Keith sale, receiving $270 in 2016 when mud was filling the aisles rather than dust.

Moorundie’s 204 seconds made $288 to Miller Whan & John, Kingston.

Many agents and buyers, standing shoulder to shoulder, said the sale was $20 to $30 dearer than Lameroo the previous week, but they had high praise for the 15,000 head yarding.

The Allen family, Warrawee Park, received $272 for 451 1.5 year old ewes , also MN3.

These were bought by long-time buyers, Marjong Park, Furner, through Pinkerton Palm Hamlyn & Steen, Penola.

Another draft of 334 head made $252 to Southern Australian Livestock, Naracoorte.

“It has been a wonderful 18 months season wise and across all the ewes in the flock joined we averaged 110 per cent lambs,” Warrawee Park’s Michael Allen said.

AC Jacka & Son, Jamestown, received the second highest price for young ewes with their 394 June-July 2016, Lines Gum Hill blood, fetching $294.

Fellow Mid North vendors, the White family, Wilperina Ag, Hallett, were also in the money with their Moorundie bloods, bought last year from Tiller & Thompson, Hoyleton.

Their 194 April-May 2015 drops made $266, while 272 2013 drops made $192.

Lines Family Partnership ex Paraweena sold their 308  Lines Gum Hill blood Merino ewes in two runs- 200 at $282 and another 108 at $276.

DP&MM Densley, Keith, made a triumphant return to the sale with their breeding ewes, after selling them in the paddock for the past few years.

They were rewarded with the $182 top price for 5.5 year olds.

Their 543 Dalveen bloods were knocked down to Elders Millicent.

Wether lambs also sold extremely well, all going to the paddock to reach heavier weights.

TFI Rural paid $133.50 for 670  April-May drops from Warrawee Park estimated to weigh around 48 kilograms 

They had cut an average $22 a head of wool when shorn in September.

Overall Warrawee Park’s 1223 wether lambs averaged $124.

Elders Keith branch manager Steven Doecke said there was great confidence in sheep and wool but the major contributor to the sale’s success had been the exceptional season. 

“There was little competition from outside the area so for the locals from Mount Gambier to Coonalpyn to handle nearly 18,000 sheep shows how strong the industry is.”

“The numbers shows what a decent season can do, we have had so many tough seasons in the last 11 years.”

Spence Dix & Co auctioneer Luke Schreiber acknowledged the prices were were “big money” but was relative to returns and the exceptional quality of the yarding.

“It was a great reward for those who have stuck with the Merino breeding game.”

One of his clients had averaged $2500 a bale for their wool clip sold last week. Many others had sold cast for age ewes for $120 to $130 in July.

“There is a lot of confidence and it is justified by how strongly lamb prices have held up despite the numbers locally,” he said.

“It is a big paddock and there are some very dry parts from here into northern NSW.”

Landmark Keith’s livestock manager Noel Evans agreed the favourable season had produced a magnificent yarding.

“It (Keith) is consistently one of the best yardings you will see anywhere but two favourable seasons just makes a world of difference for young ewes and how they are presented,” he said.

“Everyone probably had an expectation that at some point somewhere sheep would make $300 but it was pretty amazing to see it.”