More than 13,000 sheep were yarded at the first Jamestown market of 2023, with sale expectations exceeded according to local stock agents.
Held on Thursday last week, prices reached a top of $163 for wether lambs and $144 for ewe lambs while older ewes sold to $166.
Hale Pastoral, Hallett, topped the market with their offering of 244 April/May-drop, North Ashrose-blood wether lambs at $163, with a further pen of the same sheep sold for $134.
Humphris Family Trust, Georgetown, received $162 per head for an offering of 337 July-drop, Karawatha Park-bld wether lambs, while their seconds were knocked down at $135.
CC Cooper and Co, Hallett, offered close to 3000 sheep on the day, topped with an offering of 335 June/July-drop, Gum Hill/Canowie-blood wether lambs for $138, while a second line of the same wethers from the vendor made $127.
Rounding out the wether lamb tops were Wirryilka Pastoral, Broken Hill, NSW, who, over four pens, offered north of 1700 May/June-drop, North-Cowie-bloods with the top pen going under the hammer at $120.
Nutrien Jamestown auctioneer Shannon Jaeschke said he had not expected lambs to fetch $163 on the day.
"The marketplace for Merinos has been a little bit hit and miss lately so prices were a good $8 to $10 above our expectations," he said.
"That's probably due to repeat buyers buying straight lines of lambs from one vendor instead of smaller lots."
Crossbred lambs reached $134 for an offering of 172 Illoura/Kelvale-bld, June/July-drops from JA Rowe & Son, Carrieton, while PW & LA Simpson made $130 for 99 July-August-drop, Sunnybrae-blds.
A pen of 232 F1 Dorper, September/October-drop lambs from NV & EJ Byerlee, Orroroo, made $140, while a further pen from the vendor was knocked down at $115.
Topping the ewe lambs was a pen of 153 April/May-drop, Orrie Cowie-blds from RB & JK Crawford making $145.
A second pen of 40 from the vendor made $93, while LJ & MJ Hams made $126 for their pen of 119 April/May-drop, Calcookara-blds.
2021 ewes sold to a top of $150 for an offering of 227 Alalla-bld, May/June-drops from GA Jolly and Sons, Karkoo, with 129 May/June-drop, North Ashrose-blds from WH Lines and Co, Wilmington, making $145 and 115 April/May-drop, Calcookara-blds from LJ & MJ Hams knocked down at $142.
LJ & MJ Hams' offering of 97 April/May 20-drop, Calcookara-blds made $132.
RELATED:
2019 ewes hit a top of $166 for a pen of 140 May/June-drop, Alalla-blds from GA Jolly and Sons, while 122 June/July 2019/20-drop, Broadoak-bld ewes from GT & DP Burt, Hawker, made $156.
GP Burns made $154 for an offering of 295 April/May 2018-drop, Karawatha/Nantoura/Lienert/Oak Farms-blds.
Elders Jamestown agent Scott Fleetwood said scanned-in-lamb ewes were the premium on the day.
"It's a hard time to sell ewes because it's a bit late to buying an empty ewe so those SIL ewes were sought after on the day," he said.
"People can get a return out of something SIL and I expect to see more SIL ewes through the market in the coming months"
The next Jamestown market will be held on March 23.
- Subscribers have access to download our free app today from the App Store or Google Play
Katie Jackson
Journalist at Stock Journal. Born into a journo family in the state's South East, Katie made the move to the big smoke to join the team in early 2022 after seven years spent at various mastheads in the regions.
Journalist at Stock Journal. Born into a journo family in the state's South East, Katie made the move to the big smoke to join the team in early 2022 after seven years spent at various mastheads in the regions.
