Jamestown market drops prices slighly on last market

The top price pen in the wether offering was from Hale Pastoral, Hallett, reached $130 for a run of 245 April/May-drop August-shorn, North Ashrose-blood, which sold to JBS, while a second run of 89 from the same vendor made $70 the same way.

AP&SJ Malycha, offered 132 April/May-drop, August-shorn, Springvale North-bld wethers that sold at $110 to Hill Livestock, while Humphris Family Trust, Gladstone, offered 117 September-drop, December-shorn, Borung-bld, wethers which sold at $115 to JBS, while a second line of 203 made $81 from Nutrien Jamestown.

TJ&H Lehmann, sold 222 June/July-drop, October shorn, Gum Hill-bld at $102 to Thomas Foods International while CC Cooper&Co, offered 89 June/July-drop, January-shorn, Canowie-bld, which made $90 to TFI, while a second run made of 207 made $89 to Nutrien Jamestown.

RB&JJ Riggs, Burra, offered 65 June-drop, December shorn, Ulooloo Dohne/Collinsville-bld wethers which sold at $86 to Hill Livestock, while EL Watson & SJ Webb, offered 66 May/June-drop, December-shorn, Old Ashrose-bld wethers which made $85 from Nutrien Jamestown.

GR Coleman, Jamestown, fetched $80 from Elders Jamestown for 201 August/September-drop, January-shorn, Baderloo-bld wethers, while Manna Creek Pty Ltd, Mannanarie, offered 88 June/July-drop, November-shorn, Baderloo-bld, wethers which made $79 from JBS.

In the ewe offering, PP Elleway, which topped the section at $124 to Spence Dix Clare, for 134 April/May 2019/2020-drop, December-shorn, Oakfarm-blds, while Flinders View, sold 79 April/May 2020-drop, October-shorn, Oakhill/Gumhill-bld, scanned-in-lamb ewes at $122 the same way.

BS&MK Groves, Booleroo Centre, offered 192 September/October-2019 drop, January shorn, Mernowie-bld, ewes that had been running with a Dorset ram, which sold at $118 to Elders Bordertown, while a second run from the same vendor of 147 1.5year-old, January shorn ewes sold at $100 to JBS.

In the crossbred offering the section topped out at $130 paid by TFI for 30 June/July-drop, woolly lambs offered by Walter Farm Trust, Melrose, while ND Chapman, Jamestown, offered 101 August/September-drop, woolly, Leahcim/Illoura-bld which made $113 from Spence Dix, Clare.

AR&JA Mannion, Orroroo, offered 130 September/October-drop, woolly, crossbred lambs which made $99 to Nutrien Balaklava, while Gum Family Group, offered 11 May/June-drop, December-shorn, crossbred lambs, which made $90 from JBS.

Elders auctioneer Simon Harding said the sale went reasonably well for wether lambs.

"but on the ewe side of things, lack of feed around the price did not help with the salability of ewes and secondary sheep," he said.

"But top wether lambs could have been $10 to $15 cheaper, where secondary lambs without size were up to $25 cheaper.

"There weren't a lot of young ewes around but 1.5yo ewes could have been $25 cheaper on last sale.

"Sheep went right through to Bordertown and into Victoria, wether lambs went to Kaniva, Vic, however not a lot went to the South East, it was mainly the Mid North, Northern branches and Yorke Peninsula."

Nutrien livestock agent Shannon Jaeschke said overall, the job was "certainly softer, which is reflective on the current market".

"Obviously the kill market has softened," he said.

"Everyone's sort of changed their buy price if you're buying lambs in, on the back of that.

"And also feed scenario, paddock wise has certainly diminished over the last two or three weeks.

"Everyone had a bit of regrowth for the stubbles within the local area, but that's all gone now just on the dry conditions."

He said better lambs were a little bit back on the previous market three weeks ago.

"But that secondary type lamb probably felt more of an effect because of those dry conditions," he said

"We had lesser weight in our top edge of our lambs and probably more secondary styled lambs this market.

"Ewe wise, there was a lot of unjoined ewe hoggets which a lot of those have gone to the trade in the end from minimal restocker enquiry.

"Those SIL ewes sold reasonably well in the current market."

The next Jamestown market will be on March 21.