Naracoorte
Yarding: 32,126
Ewe lambs to $390
HIGH prices for ewe lambs at Naracoorte on Thursday last week came as no surprise, with a pen presented by the McMahon family making the $390 top price.
McPiggery, Lameroo, which topped the 2019 sale at $360, also achieved last year's second highest price at $424, but despite the sheep industry continuing on an upward trajectory in past two years, prices slightly slipped back for the 2021 sale.
The pen of 180 March/April 2021-drops were knocked down in Southern Australian Livestock's run and sold to SAL. The ewe lambs were Taranga Park and Glenlea Park-blood.
The $380 second-highest price was also achieved by McPiggery for a further 180 lambs, which also sold to SAL. Altus Pastoral, Lameroo, made the same price for the tops of their run, 120 Taronga Park, Belmont, Ridgway and Gunallo-blds, also to SAL.
Altus Pastoral made $360 for another 180 seconds, with SAL continuing to snap up the early runs of lambs.
The two vendors continued to dominate the top end of the market, with Altus making $352 for its third run of 180 lambs to Thomas Degaris & Clark, Penola. McPiggery then made $350 for 188 to TDC.
SAL offered 4288 lambs, averaging $294, and despite prices being a bit off the pace compared with last year, Naracoorte agent Mat MacDonald said bloodlines renowned for fertility and performance sought a premium.
"That attracted repeat buyers - some have been known to have 130 per cent lambing percentages.
"Ewes were about five kilograms off last year's weights but they will perform," he said.
Elders presented the best presented pen to Clover Ridge Pastoral's Greg Fisher, Woolumbool, and Thomas Foods International's Darren Thomas commended the vendor for its lineup of "outstanding" lambs.
"It ticked all of the boxes. Its been a tough season and its an absolute credit to the vendor," he said.
"The work has been put in, you can see that, and the season has required that."
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Elders run of lambs continued to draw plenty of bidding attention with Eura Carla, Keppoch, topping the run with 120 Paxton and Moorundie-blds at $371 to Elders Naracoorte.
Marmon Pastoral, Jabuk, offered 170 Inverbrackie and Coolawang-blds and made $355.
LR Gregurke & Partners, Parrakie, made $345 for 123 of their top Lowan Hill-bld lambs to Elders Naracoorte. Elders complete run comprised of 8326 lambs, av $294.
Nutrien Ag Solutions offered 2328 lambs, av $295, including an impressive 1288 from Sparks Farming.
Sparks Farming ex Munduney, Spalding, made $362 for 288 first-cross ewe lambs of Inverbrackie, Glencorrie and Springvale North-bld. Averaging 56.6kg, the run sold to Nutrien Ag Millicent.
A further 156 from the same vendor, av 55.7kg, made $356 and went the same way. At the lighter end, 45.9kg lambs from Sparks Farming made between $296-$302, with Nutrien Ag Naracoorte, and PPHS Penola securing the lots.
PPHS knocked down 15,851 lambs, av $285, and its run topped at $364 for Farmers Leap ex Woodgrove, Padthaway, offering of 200 Paxton and Morton-blds to JM Ellis, account Camp Creek.
BJ&KR Lehmann, Peebinga, made $346 for 111 Pembroke and Paxton-blds that sold to J.M.C Livestock, and C&A Jesse, Western Flat, sold 140 Paxton-blds for $340 to Gebel Propriety Limited, Naracoorte.
Thomas De Garis & Clarkson offered 1333, av $259, topping at $308 for 61, 49.2kg Glencorrie/Lone Gum-blds from JA Pfitzner Family Trust, Point Pass, sold to TDC Penola.
Belmont Props, Springton, made the same money for 86, 48.2kg Belmont, Bunyara and Moorundie-blds bought by TDC Keith.
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