YOUNG ewes sold to $286 at the Jamestown sheep market on Thursday last week, while wethers made up to $180, in a sale described as "quite strong".
Nutrien Livestock Jamestown auctioneer Shannon Jaeschke said the sale was about $5 to $10 a head dearer due to some good drafts of Merino and crossbred lambs being offered.
"Buyers were able to buy wether lambs that were certainly mature for their age, with plenty of weight in them," he said.
"Our young ewe job was also stronger and more consistent, compared with previous markets, while the breeding ewe job was a little up and down depending on quality and size of line.
"But overall, the sale was quite good and looking forward I don't think much will change, as more stubbles become available and ongoing rain will keep demand high."
Overall, 17,000 sheep were yarded in the sale - slightly down on the advertised 21,000 as some vendors had been rained in.
"The attendance was also quite small," Mr Jaeschke said.
"But those that did attend, bid strongly, and there was plenty of competition coming from AuctionsPlus."
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The 1.5-year-old ewes that topped the sale were offered by Palmer Family Trust, Black Springs - a pen of 168 October-shorn, June/July 2020-drop Baderloo-bloods, averaging 60.3 kilograms liveweight, which sold to AJK Pastoral, Linden Park.
The second-highest price pen at $284 was for 93 October-shorn, June/July 2020-drop Hamilton Run-blds, averaging 68.1kg, from MA Kelly, Jamestown, which sold to TDC Penola.
Kimric Enterprises, Riverton, sold 119 October-shorn May/June 2020-drop Rices Creek-bld ewes, averaging 59.6kg, at $276; while McCarthy Partners, Jamestown, sold 165 September-shorn May/June 2020-drop Moorundie Park-bld ewes, averaging 66.2kg, also at $276, plus a second pen of 46 ewes at $217.
RELATED READING: First-cross ewe sale to $390 at Naracoorte
JM&CC Oswald, Wudinna, sold the top 2.5-year-old ewes at $228 for 75 August-shorn April/May 2019-drop Greenfields-blds; while 3.5yo ewes sold to $224 for 100 April/May 2018-drop Greenfields-blds from A Haines & Son, Melrose, who sold another 70 North Cowie-blds at $220.
Crossbred ewe lambs sold to $168 for 233 woolly June/July-drop Karawatha Park/White Suffolk-bloods, averaging 41.6kg, from Sawers Farms, Wilkatana Station, via Port Augusta, who also sold a second pen of 321 head, averaging 34.4kg, at $155.
Wilkatana Station had more than 1500 head in the sale, which also included 208 woolly wether lambs averaging 43.1kg making $178, 251 crossbred lambs making $158, and 216 crossbred lambs making $133.
Wether lambs sold to a top of $180 at the sale - achieved by a smaller pen of 97 October-shorn April/May-drop Moorundie-blds from Timana, Jamestown.
Garawang, Georgetown, sold 275 October-shorn April/May-drop Baderloo/Glenville wether lambs, averaging 50.9kg, at $178, and a second pen of 136 averaging 40.8kg, at $164.
N&C Klinger, Jamestown, sold 219 October-shorn May/June-drop Springvale North-bld wether lambs, averaging 42.5kg, at $177, while a second pen of 271 made $167.
Waterman Rural, Melrose, sold 251 September-shorn May/June-drop Gum Hill-bld wether lambs, averaging 48kg, at $176 to an AuctionsPlus bidder, while Newhaven Props, Peterborough, received $174 for their 255 September-shorn May/June-drop Gum Hill-bld wether lambs, averaging 50.1kg, in the first pen offering of the sale.
Fairvale Props, Jamestown, also received $174 for their 285 October-shorn April/May-drop Moorundie-bld wether lambs, averaging 50.4kg.
A small offering of older wethers sold to $170 for 55 October-shorn July 2020-drop Hamilton Run-blds from AJ&JK Williams, Jamestown, who also sold nearly 150 older ewes, 2017-drops, at $150 a head.
John Mannion, Pekina, chose the sale to start dispersing his flock, due to health reasons.
He was pleased to see his 84 September-shorn March/April 202-drop Moorundie Park-bld ewes make $246; 123 older ewes, 2017-2019 drops, make $290, and 124 crossbred ewe lambs attract $136.
He planned to see the rest of his flock at Dublin this week.
The next Jamestown sale will be held on December 9, when up to 25,000 head is expected.
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