After three years of limited use the Crystal Brook saleyards will become the venue for regular shedding sheep sales.
CIAA and Nutrien have joined forces and will hold the inaugural sale on Thursday, March 30 with a yarding of 5000 to 6000 head expected.
They hope to hold monthly sales except during winter months, dependent on numbers.
The yardings will be predominately breeding ewes but will also be open to other sheep classes, including store lambs. Any shedding sheep and their crosses with a minimum of 50pc shedding genetics will be accepted.
CIAA director Wayne Hall said it was exciting to see the yards, which the company built in 2017, back in use .
During COVID they had acted as a depot to spell sheep which had come long distances but with the rapid expansion of shedding sheep in certain parts of the state he said Crystal Brook was the "perfect location".
"We have been talking about it for a couple of months but it is only a few weeks ago that we came to an agreement with Nutrien," he said.
"It hasn't even really been out in the public much yet and we have already had enquiry from Ceduna, Streaky Bay, the Flinders Ranges and Broken Hill so we are confident on our numbers.
"People don't know where to go to get started in shedding sheep but farmers can come and buy ewes from the sales and get a good start," he said.
Mr Hall said it was good to have designated yards to sell the shedding sheep in and was excited to see how it would unfold.
"The yards capacity is about 9000 but if it keeps growing and if the yards require further investment we will do that."
Nutrien state livestock and SA stud stock manager Gordon Wood also acknowledged the the growth of shedding breeds in SA's sheep flock and says it is "appropriate to have an outlet outside the tradition selling complexes".
"We do not see it as a fashion trend, these shedding breeds are here for the long term so we want to provide a regular outlet to help these producers market their livestock," he said.
He said many of their clients, especially those in pastoral areas had at least three or four years of building their flocks and were in a position to offer surplus numbers.
"It (Crystal Brook) is well situated to the north of the state, the western side and the entire Mid North and Mallee but it will also serve the South East and Victorians which have a history of coming to the Mid North (Jamestown)to buy lines of breeding ewes," he said.
"There is easy access for B-doubles to access the yards too for anyone looking to put a large line of sheep."
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