AS THE mercury soared on Wednesday last week, so too did prices at Mount Pleasant's first-cross and off-shears sale, where 1.5-year-old first-cross ewes rose $24 on last year's top.
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Jamie and Jill Shephard, Brukunga, were thrilled when their pen of 75 Inverbrackie-sired April/May-drop ewes hit the sale's high of $218 to Charlotte Morley, Parawa, in a tremendous run of 1.5yo ewes selling at about $200.
Other first-cross ewe vendors to crack the $200 mark included GW&RJ Bridgman, Strathalbyn, who sold 38 at $206 and 32 at $204, and MPC&SJ Brown, Keyneton, 44 at $206 to Landmark Mount Pleasant as well as a run of 60 at $198 to Fleurieu Estates.
LJ,CE&EL Porker, Karoonda, sold 26 at $204; IR&JW Johns, Keyneton, 48 at $202; and HF Smith & Co, Hamley Bridge, 72 at $202 to Landmark Kapunda.
Meanwhile, Wootoona Props, Eden Valley, sold 90 at $200 to TDC Penola; JN&KJ Graetze sold 30 at $200 also to TDC; and G&JR Koopman, Tungkillo, 20 at $200 to Landmark Mount Pleasant.
Landmark Anderson and Fawcett Mount Pleasant's Colin Fawcett said it was a very strong sale and very solid throughout.
"Ewes, both first-cross and good Merino ewes, were in good demand," he said.
"We didn't expect it to be quite as strong as it was.
"Young hogget wethers sold very well, and wether lambs displaying finish also sold pretty well."
Mr Fawcett said the majority of the yarding had been inspected on-property by PIRSA pre-sale and given a clean bill of health. It was the third year the inspections had been conducted.
Elders Roseworthy's Richard Hentschke said it was a well-supported sale and agents and vendors were very pleased with the result.
"It was a good and solid sale and we are very happy with the quality and the evenness of quality of the yarding, as well as the strength of bidding," he said.
"Wether lambs were very good and prices for good-quality wethers were consistent with other sales.
"Young ewes were similar to other sales and buyers were choosy on the older ewes."
The first-cross ewe lambs topped at $182 for a draft of 87 Inverbrackie-sired lambs sold by Indoota Pastoral Co, Riverton, to Landmark Kapunda.
Strong support followed the lamb pens, with Avonbrae, Springton, selling 76 at $156 and Graves & March, Eden Valley, 61 at $146.
TAR Brown and K Ryder, Keyneton, had a good day out, selling 61 at $146, plus 103 at $144 and 49 at $140.
DA&HMM Shepley, Minlaton, sold 150 lambs at $140 and W Ahrens, Eden Valley, sold 50 at the same price, while LJ,CE&EL Porker sold 27 at $124.
Merino wethers attracted good demand with DW Taylor, Nairne, selling the tops, 370 Dohne lambs at $77.50, and a run of 54 1.5yo Dohne wethers at $70.
JW Pym & Son, Rockleigh, sold 210 Merino wethers 2.5yo at $76 and 221 wethers 1.5yo at $66.
Neil and Grace Kroehn, Belmont Props, Springton, sold 112 wether lambs at $66, and M Guthrie & Sons, Mount Pleasant, sold 196 wether lambs at $63.
In the Merino ewe section DW Taylor sold 101 Dohne ewes 1.5yo at $154; ME Loftus, Eden Valley, sold 37 1.5yo at $148; and EJ Shephard sold 19 1.5yo at $140.
IJ&FL Koch, Moculta, sold 152 1.5yo at $130, and Pepperwell Partners, Keyneton, and Kanco Farm, Springton, each sold 101 and 42 1.5yo at $100 each.
Ewes 2.5yo sold to $123 for JR&WK Wiencke, Karoonda, and Rosebank Pty Ltd, Mount Pleasant, sold 142 of the same age at $110.
* Full report in Stock Journal, December 5 issue, 2013.
Carla Wiese-Smith
Editor of SmartFarmer magazine.
Editor of SmartFarmer magazine.
