COORANGA
Yarding: 13,780
Ewe lambs to $295
Wethers to $167.50
THE James family achieved a record price of $295 for their 26th annual on-property sale held near Lucindale on Friday.
It continued the stellar run for first-cross ewe lamb prices in the SE.
Cooranga is SA’s biggest feature on-property sale and this year it featured 13,780 June/July-drop lambs.
There were 7142 ewe lambs sold from $146 to $295 and an average of $229.50 to mainly repeat buyers.
This was a massive $69 up on the 2016 sale high.
There were also 6638 wether lambs sold to $167.50, av $139.
Repeat buyers JM Ellis, Hamilton, Vic, paid the top money for the first pick of the top ewe lamb draft, taking 200 at $295.
Bull Island, buying through Elders Lucindale, took 315 ewe lambs at $280.
Impressed with the past performance of Cooranga ewe lambs, local grazier Nigel Watson, NJ&MJ Watson, bought 415 between $259-$280, av $275.
JB Gilbertson, Rendelsham, bought 400 of the second draft at $280 through Elders Millicent, while Elders Timboon, Vic, bought 464 of the second draft at $282
Elders Naracoorte bought 436 at $222, account Strathyre.
Peter Scullion, Scullions Farming, Hynam, purchased 1621 ewe lambs between $185-$215, av $204.50.
Bidding strongly on the wether lambs, was regular attendee Thomas Foods International buyer Matt Heinrich. He bought the first three drafts, 1303 weighing 56 kilograms at $167.50 or $2.99 a kilogram; 1315 at 51.5kg for $153 or $2.55/kg and 915 at 47.3kg for $137 or $2.89/kg.
Pinkerton Palm Hamlyn & Steen agent Richard Harvie bought 1706 of the lighter wethers, paying from $123-$127, av $124, for a/c Seogmoor.
Elders Lucindale agent Ronnie Dix said although the yarding did not quite make the weights of other years, due to a long, wet winter in the region, the sheep still presented in very fresh condition, and sold extremely well to attain Cooranga’s best result yet.
Cooranga’s Wendy James-Ross said it was nice to see so many familiar faces back again, and to have such a great sale result. She said with graziers outlaying big money for stock, it was a reflection of the positive outlook for the future of the agricultural industry.