WETHER lambs topped at $163 and exceeded expectations at the annual Kapunda off-shears sale on Monday, but young ewes were slightly back compared with past markets selling to $240.
Landmark Beaton Agencies proprietor Greg Beaton said wether lamb quality was exceptionally good but young and breeding ewes were harder to sell.
"Breeding ewe prices are not as high as I thought they would be - it is just a sign of a difficult season," he said.
"Top quality young ewes sold at a realistic level but some of the smaller lines were surprisingly very hard to move."
Mr Beaton said the sale yarded 4000 sheep and lambs and was dominated by Mid North restockers.
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Topping the wether lamb section at $163 was GR&VJ Schrapel, Hamilton, with their 204 April/May-drop lambs that were sold to MS&BL Kernich, Riverton.
Wether prices continued to hold throughout the sale, with EC Wilson, Kapunda, selling 100 wethers for $152 to Gary Owen Trading Trust, Riverton.
LR Hampel and Sons, Tarnma, sold 95 wethers to Gary Owen Trading Trust for $147 and JL&MJ Wendt & Sons, Kapunda, sold 199 wethers for $144 to the same buyer.
PM Roocke, Eudunda, offered 190 April/May-drop September-shorn wethers that were bought by Martin Miller Nominees, Burra, for $140.
Topping the 1.5-year-old ewe section at $240 was a run of 78 April/May 2018-drop Lines Gum Hill-bloods from RA Dunstan, Eudunda.
The August-shorn ewes were sold to Glen Cairn Farming, Balaklava.
AC&CC Ross, Kapunda, paid $210 for 81 August-shorn Lines Gum Hill-bld young ewes from GR&VJ Schrapel.
WK&BD Doecke, Truro, sold 60 September-shorn Bunyara-bld ewes for $210 to AB&KD Neumann, Mount Pleasant.
GK B&KJ Cottle, Balaklava, had 96 Bunyara-bld ewes make $206 to AC&CC Ross.
Neumann Family Trust, Marrabel, sold 97 Pindari-bld ewes to Menglers Hill, Angaston, for $200.
Two-year-old ewes topped at $194 for a line of 41 Bunyara-bld ewes from WK&BD Doecke bought by Landmark Kadina.
GR&VJ Schrapel topped the 4.5yo ewe section with 127 April/May 2015-drop Lines Gum Hill-blds that were sold to GD&WE Oliver, Eudunda, for $170.
In the older ewe section, 140, 5.5yo Lines Gum Hill-blds from RA Dunstan, made $148 to SL Oliver, Eudunda, while Browne Partners, Marrabel, offered 69 ewes that made $144 to WA&NG Harris, Kadina.
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