First-cross ewes reach $244 at Mt Pleasant market

Father and son James and Kym Graetz, Keyneton, topped the sale for the fifth time in six years, with $244 for a pen of 30 August/September 2014-drop Border Leicester-Merino ewes.

The young ewes had Belmont bloodlines, out of Nyowee and Bunyara-blood ewes.

The Graetzs also sold two earlier pens with the sale's first pen of 35 ewes reaching $220, and another of 56, sold for $238.

James said the sale included their entire drop of first-cross ewe lambs from 2014, split for height.

He said the ewes were bred for the sale, which he has supported for about a decade.

"We're very happy with the sale; all our sheep sold well," he said.

Landmark Mount Pleasant's David Schultz said the prices were strong for the better quality of sheep.

"The good sheep sold well," he said.

He said numbers were down on younger ewes, as well as wethers, many of which would probably have sold earlier in the season, however the usual number of breeding ewes were present.

Elders Mount Pleasant territory manager Richard Hentschke said the tops of the lot got good prices.

"The second sheep sold for their value, comparable to other markets," he said.

He commended the presentation of the sheep, particularly the wethers and young ewes.

"They're probably the best 1.5 year old ewes we've had; the type and style all the way through," he said.

Mr Schultz and Mr Hentschke said the buying competition was strong, predominantly from the Yorke Peninsula and local areas.

IK&JW Johns, Keyneton, sold 70 June/July 2014-drop ewes, Stumpy's Spring-blood for $242.

In the first-cross ewe lambs, TAR&K Brown, Keyneton, had 95 May/June 2015-drop ewes, Belmont-blood, for $200, while a second line reached $138.

The wethers saw a pen of 130 June-July 2015-drop Merinos from RP&RA Wheaton, Redhill, sell for $98, while JN,KJ&PJ Graetz had 84 April-May 2015-drop with Bunyara and Nyowee-blood reach $91.

Sunnyvale Props, Angaston, sold 41 May/June 2014-drop Dohne ewes with Babirra-blood for $160.