MOUNT PLEASANT
Yarding: 1500 sheep and lambs, 220 cattle
Lambs to $150
Hoggets to $125
Cows and calves to $1140
A lack of feed availability for livestock caused a surprising market at Mount Pleasant last week, with strong demand from buyers and a quality lineup offered by vendors.
Sheep and lambs caught most buyers’ attention but Landmark Fawcett Mount Pleasant principal Colin Fawcett said although store cattle struggled to make a gain, once the season turned, it will be hard to secure a pen.
“Numbers for cattle and sheep remain strong and being a dry start, the top quality sold exceptionally well for the lack of feed around,” he said.
A strong turnout of buyers inspected the 1500 sheep and lambs, and 200 cattle, with Mr Fawcett saying any well-finished livestock were snapped up.
The top price of $150 was paid for two crossbred lambs from K Schnieder, Mt Torrens.
Dopen Propriety Limited, Rockleigh, made the second highest price of $145 for 28 crossbred lambs and R.D Thiele, Monarto, offered nine lambs that made $142.
Hoggets also attracted solid bids with a pen of three hoggets from N Vlenkiron, Keyenton, making $125, while mutton at the top end of the sale sold to $158 for a pen three wethers from D Starick, Mt Crawford.
Mutton prices remained steady throughout the sale with a run of 29 ewes from L.D Grieger, Nildottie, making $146, and 11 wethers from K.R Welford, Coromandel Valley, making $136.
A Hereford steer from IG&PM Welsh, Kersbrook, was bought for $1360, while two Hereford cows from the same vendor made $1300.
Cows and Calves were also in demand, with five Murray Grey heifers with calves at foot from G.D Wicks & Son, Mt Torrens, sold for $1140.