A SMALLER crowd braved the 40-plus degree conditions at the Jamestown store sale on Thursday February 18, but prices for crossbred lambs and wethers remained firm.
But, there were limited ewes yarded and their prices were back.
Overall, there were about 7000 sheep and lambs yarded.
Landmark auctioneer Don Cullen said it was a good, solid start to the selling year, especially considering the adverse conditions.
Elders Jamestown’s Jack Coleman said breeding ewes were the most price-affected, but the top-end of the lambs held their ground.
Topping the wether section were KA&KD Blieschke, Booleroo Centre, with 65 Bradfield-bloods that sold for $119 to Hill Livestock.
The second highest price for wethers was $117 for 300 Barton Hill-blds from SA&YJ Scholz, Wudinna, also sold to Hill Livestock.
GR Coleman, Jamestown, sold 218 North Ashrose-bld wethers for $115 to Wardle Co Maitland, while RM Mitchell Pastoral Co, Yatina, sold 71 Hamilton Run-bld wethers for $112.
Topping the crossbred lamb section was the Carrieton Community Cropping project with 87 sold for $129 to Willson Livestock.
The second highest price for crossbreds was $126 for 118 Illoura-blds from RM Mitchell Pastoral Co.
All making $124 for their crossbreds were MR&JA Piggott, Orroroo, with 89 White Suffolk-crosses sold to Willson Livestock, LK Duffy & Co, with 119 sold to Elders Gladstone and D&S Turner, Orroroo, with 95 sold to Willson Livestock.
TR,LP&RJ Ellis, Jamestown, sold 220 Wheetelande-bld crossbreds at $123 to Elders Gladstone.
Making the highest price for ewe lambs were Allan and Helen Michael, Quorn, with 160 Leahcim-bld, October 2017-drops that sold for $170 to Wardle Co Maitland.
Brooks Rockwood, Booleroo Centre, topped the 2016-drop ewes at $166 with 45 Old Ashrose-blds sold to Landmark Balaklava.
A feature of the sale was the final flock dispersal from Bill Naismith, Black Rock, who started selling his sheep off at the Jamestown market before Christmas.
The Naismith proprty will be auctioned off on Wednesday, March 14.
The tops of the Naismith sheep were 233, 2.5-year-old Kilmore-blds that made $162, selling to Elders Eudunda.
The same vendor also sold 303, 3.5yos for $156 to Spence Dix & Co and 247, 4yos for $140 to Elders Eudunda.
Selling 45 mixed age ewes, from 2013 to 2016-drop, was Hartly Springs Estate, Clare, which made $150 and was bought by Elders Eudunda.
NV&EJ Byerlee, Carrieton, sold 171, 4.5yo Calcookara-blds for $133, along with 253, 5.5yo ewes at $120 and 286, 6.5yo ewes at $105.
Mr Coleman said numbers were set to be up about the 20,000-mark at Jamestown again next month.
“We have some big lines of north-west pastoral sheep coming in from February through to April,” he said.