IT WAS a larger yarding than normal at the Bordertown off-shears sale, which reached $272, just shy of last year's saleyard record price of $274.
There were about 8000 yarded - all ewes, with agents agreeing the best of the 1.5-year-old ewes sold well, while the prices dropped away for the secondary types.
Landmark's Graeme Hampel said the numbers were up considerably, with a number of sheep drawn from other districts, such as Eyre Peninsula.
He said the prices for the better presented sheep were probably about $10-$15 up on last year's sale.
Southern Australian Livestock's Craig Lewis said there was good interest in breeding ewes, while the top ends of the young ewes had good competition, but the immature ewes "struggled".
Despite that, he said it was one of the best-presented yardings at Bordertown for some years.
Elders Bordertown branch manager Brenton Henriks said the extra sheep may have "diluted" prices, with the sale, overall, not as strong as last years.
He said the breeders that presented at the sale regularly mostly likely finding their usual customers.
"We get repeat buyers that seem to come back and follow through with the same lines," he said.
Spence, Dix & Co, Bordertown's Kym Lovelock said the sale exceeded expectations in parts.
"Some parts were equal to, or better than, expectations," he said.
"Generally the secondary types were below expectations, especially for young ewes.
"There was a base put in the older ewes by the meat market."
He said this drop in the market for secondary types could have been affected by a tough season, as well as by the volume of sheep offered in the past week in sales across the state and in western Vic.
He said most of the sheep stayed in the local area.
The top price was achieved by last year's top price-getter Linda Vista, Mundulla, for a line of 115 May/June 2018-drop, September-shorn, Hannaton-bloods.
The next best price was $260, for a pen of 285, July/August 2018-drops, Ridgway Advance-blds from RHL&BS Groocock, Bordertown.
BM&YD Paech & Sons, Bordertown, sold 81, April/May 2018-drop, Moorundie Park-blds at $250.
AW&WA Twigden, Bordertown, offered 201, Lines Gum Hill and Mulloorie-blds, which sold at $248.
DB&JS Hunt, Willalooka, sold 95, August-shorn, Calcookara-blds also at $248.
KR&CA Johnson, Wolseley, offered 72 Hannaton-blds, which made $246, with a seonc line of 23 at $206.
RELATED READING: Bordertown young ewes hit $274
JM&FMA Guy, Mundulla, sold 104 April/May 2018-drop, September-shorn, Andoma-blds at $228, as part of a complete flock dispersal.
They also offered 106, 2017-drops, which sold at $242.
An offering 95 ewes from the 2016-drop made $228 while 87, 2015-drops made $178, and 86, 2014-drops sold at $160.
MWF&EM Burns, Cummins, sold 85, 2017-drop, Brimanna-blds at $182, with a further 164, 2014-drop, White River-blds at $172.
Keller Family Farm Trust, Western Flat, offered 76, May/June 2017-drop, September-shorn, Hamilton Run-blds, which sold at $174.
Chowilla Props, Naracoorte, sold 86, April/May 2015 and 2016-drop, Kelvale-blds at $170.
KR&CA Johnson sold 126, 2014-drop, August-shorn, Hannaton-blds at $166.
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