Jamestown sheep market recorded an uptick in confidence this week, after steady returns for well-presented ewes and lambs were achieved.
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The better-end of Merino and crossbred lambs had an obvious improvement in demand, according to Nutrien Ag Solutions Jamestown auctioneer Shannon Jaeschke.
"There was certainly a bit more buoyancy in the job and more inquiry from further a field," he said.
"On lighter lambs or lambs with not as good weight-for-age, certainly gave people an opportunity to buy."
Mr Jaeschke said better lines of breeding sheep were certainly firm on where the job has been for the past two to three markets.
About 20,000 sheep and lambs were offered at the market on Thursday, with multiple large lines of wethers and ewes up for auction.
The 2022-drop ewes section reached a top of $160, after well-bred ewes from JA&AJ Palmer offered the section's strongest lineup. Its 175, Baderloo-blood October-shorn, June/July 2022-drops went to Spence Dix & Co.
Berry Springs Farm, Yallunda Flat, attracted solid bidding for its run of 71 April/May 2022-drop October-shorn, Brimmana/Roemahkita-blds which made $130 and went the same way.
Bruce Farming, Riverton, made $90 to Elders Orroroo. The 64 Nyowee-blds were August/September 2022-drops, while NW&KM Kupke, Booleroo Centre, had 154, Hamilton Run-bld October-shorns make the same return to Spence Dix & Co.
RN Robinson, Mannanarie, made $76 for 135, North Ashrose-blds which went the same way.
Elders Port Augusta livestock manager Jack Coleman believed some life had been breathed into the lamb job.
"There was such an exceptional lineup of Merino and crossbred lambs that the trade could operate on," he said.
"The good quality young ewe job saw a bit more interest too, it is getting to the point where if people do not have the ewes required, they have to get in and buy now if they want to join."
But, Mr Coleman said there was pain in secondary type young ewes.
"That job was about $30 cheaper. The gap between the top lines and secondary types is getting wider," he said.
Regular vendor MR Hancock made $72 for 76, September-shorn Orrie Cowie-blds to Nutrien Ag Orroroo, and Wyndhurst Farming P/L, Orroroo, made the same return for its 40, Wyndhurst-bld, June/July 2022-drops to Elders Port Augusta.
Returns for 2022-drop ewes stagnated between $46-$70, with many well-known bloodlines making about $50-$62.
Multiple strong ewe lines made $70, with AL Hill offering 177, Faraway Hills-bld October-shorns to Elders Kingscote, Dawsons Pastoral sold a larger line of 249 Broadoak-bld September-shorns which went the same way and GR&SM Carr, Port Lincoln, had 173, Greenfields-bld August-shorns sell to Jones Livestock.
Thereafter, a few smaller lines of 2022-drop ewes returned solid prices, with Wilton Land Trust, Jamestown, offering its top of the drop at $62. The run of 124, Undalya-bld October-shorns sold to Elders Gladstone.
Abberton Park's 186, Gum Hill-bld April-May 2022-drops made $60 to JBS and JPG&NL Carey made $54 for 101, August/September 2022-drop Gum Hill-blds to Elders Jamestown.
In the 2019-2020-drop section, returns for ewes held up strongly, with most making between $42-$82.
Karaleeun Investments made $74 for its 105, June/July 2020-drop Baderloo-blds to Elders Mount Gambier, while AJ&R Francis, Appila, made $82 for its 209, June/July 2019-2020-drop March-shorn Gum Hill-blds which went the same way.
NW&KM Kupke made $63 for 133, July/August 2019-drop Baderloo-blds to Spence Dix & Co Clare.
AJ&DL Eden made $60 for 178, June/July 2019-2020-drop Collandra North-blds to Elders Mount Gambier, while Karaleeun Investments made $56 for 92, June/July 2019-drop Baderloo-blds which went the same way.
Returns for 2018-drop ewes fell away compared to younger ewes, with runs making between $20-$44.
JM Lewis & Co, Jamestown, made $44 for 250, 2018-drop Greenfields and Pindari-bld August-shorns which went to Elders Mount Gambier, while 110, 2018-2019-drops from Wyndhurst Farming made $38 to Spence Dix & Co Clare.
Large lines of wethers were offered by multiple vendors, with HGM Pastoral, Mount Victor, offering almost 1700, which made between $16-$37, while DH Turnbull & Co, Cleve, offered about 700 wethers, making $22-$32.
The section's $75 top price was made by Smith Partners Belton's lead draft of 391 woolly Glenville-blds. The run of June/July 2023-drops went to AWN Stall.
The same vendor made $59 for 789 woolly wethers to Midfield Group.
Berry Springs Farm made $68 for its 196, April/May 2023-drop Brimanna/Roemahkita-bld woolly wethers which sold to Nutrien Ag Mount Pleasant.
Mergenia Station, Peterborough, had about 750 wethers on offer, and made $66 for 422 Dohne Ulooloo-bld August-shorns which went to Midfield Meats. A further 145 made $43 to Elders Clare.
LR&CH Nutt & MRR &JB Nutt, Black Rock, offered 401 Greenfields-bld August-shorns to Midfield Group at $62.
A few runs of ewe lambs were also offered, with a flock dispersal from TR&JA Butler reaching the $47 top price for its 163, woolly, Mount Alma Dohne-bld, while Merino ewe lambs made between $9-$16.
Woolly crossbred lambs reached a top price $94 for 118 from NJ Cryer. The Borung and Harrys Well-blds went to Midfield Group.
D&S Turner, Orroroo, made $92 for its 92 woolly crossbreds which went to Thomas Foods International and Smith Partners Belton made $91 for 271, woolly Anna Villa and Glenville-blds which went to Midfield Group.
The next Jamestown market will be held on November 16 and November 30.