ELDERS territory sales manager Scott Fleetwood says numbers at the Jamestown market are likely to remain tight until September.
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The market was cancelled in June due to a lack of sheep, and the July sale had 6000 head yarded, which was one of the smallest ever auctions at the sale centre.
Mr Fleetwood said the tight sheep supply meant the July Jamestown market was firm to dearer in some places, with wethers making to $91.
Buyers came from across the state and there was one buyer from Bendigo, Vic, present and bidding strongly.
“Everyone is looking to secure sheep and it’s hard to find them,” he said.
Mr Fleetwood said he expected there would be at least 7000 sheep and lambs yarded at the August Jamestown sale.
“It will all depend on rainfall in the pastoral areas,” he said.
“There will be bigger markets at Jamestown from September onwards, when we start getting into our fortnightly sales and feature sales.”
Combined Independent Agents Association chairman Garry Willson said the sucker lamb job would be the next one to keep an eye on, as he believes it will be very strong this year.
The first lot of suckers were yarded at the Dublin saleyards in early July.
“They made $130, but there wasn’t a lot of weight to them and they went to processors,” Mr Willson said.
Mr Willson said it was likely to be well into August before there was any serious number of sucker lambs present in the saleyards.
“I think the sucker job should be really good this year, particularly for anything with a bit of weight in it,” he said.
Mr Willson said June was a particularly strong month at the Dublin market.
Prices had come down a notch in July though, he said.
“There’s still good money out there, even receiving $150 for lambs, no one’s complaining,” he said.
“Lambs at Dublin were relatively dearer in June, like everywhere in Australia.
“It was almost getting too dear, it was getting up about $7 a kilogram.”
