STRONG competition from mainly Victorian Mallee, Upper South East and local buyers pushed the best 1.5-year-old ewes to $160 at Monday's Murray Bridge sheep market.
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Landmark Murray Bridge's Kevin Keller said he was particularly happy with the result, given the past few weeks had been tougher sales.
"Quality ewes sold fairly well while lighter ewes were harder to sell," he said.
"Wether lambs sold as expected."
Elders Murray Bridge's Phil Nagel said autumn-drop lambs were as much as $5 cheaper than previous sales, but later-drop lambs met good competition from processors and graziers to sell to $61.
"There was extremely good competition on 4.5yo ewes which sold to a top of $132," he said.
"The 5.5yo ewes were fully firm to dearer on recent sales and sold from $65-$85."
Honours for the day went to AR&HJ Wait with their pen of first-cross Dohnes at the sale's top of $160. The 109 March/April 2012-drop April-shorn Babirra blood ewes were picked up by Nalpa Pastoral, Nalpa.
Nalpa also secured a pen of 43 June/July 2012-drop August-shorn Mount Alma Dohne blood ewes at $150 from ML Cross, and a pen of 201 August 2012-drop September-shorn Kamora/Netley Park blood ewes from AK Schulz at $138.
The Waits also sold 203 July/August 2012-drop April-shorn Moorundie Park blood ewes at $144.
The 1.5yo ewe draft continued to receive solid demand with DT&EJ Kerr, Karoonda, selling 102 April/May-drop, August-shorn Kamora/Toland blood ewes at $148 and BM&BC Bridgart, Wynarka, selling 112 May/June-drop August-shorn Sherlock blood ewes at $146.
EJ&DJ Woidt, Sherlock, sold 186 June/July-drop, September-shorn Ridgway Advance blood ewes at $141, while several vendors sold drafts at $140 including GD&SM Cavanagh, Karoonda, on 112 March/April-drop August-shorn, Barton Hill blood ewes; KJ,CE&BD Poole on 66 June-drop, September-shorn, Malleetech blood ewes; AJ&KL O'Malley, Coodalya, on 66 April/May-drop September-shorn Kamora/Netley Park blood ewes; and KL&JE Wegener on 35 April/May-drop September-shorn Kamora blood ewes.
Older breeding ewes were in good demand with 4.5yo offered by DJ Fromm, Mannum, making $132 on 80 April/May 2009-drop March-shorn Kamora Park blood ewes, while Coodalya sold 168 April/May 2009 drop September-shorn Kamora/Netley Park blood ewes at $122.
* Full report in Stock Journal, October 17 issue, 2013.
