THERE MAY have only been 2500 sheep yarded for the December Narromine store sheep sale yesterday, Wednesday, December 20, but the several buyers were in for what they could secure, and bought at solid prices.
First-cross ewes topped at $252 and sold down to $131 for youngsters while the store lamb market continued to be hot with wethers making up to $122 and mixed-sexes at $125 a head.
A line of White Dorper ewes topped at $154 for 100 per cent scanned in lamb while drafts of Australian White ewes topped at $152 a head.
Selling agent Jason Hartin, Hartin Schute Bell, Narromine said the market was very strong.
The barometer is high, it’s dry, people are in holiday mode and it’s Christmas, but we had a rip-roaring sale,” he said.
“Buyers were keen to secure stock prior to the new year as some either had to find replacements fairly quickly and others saw bargains, particularly in the store lamb department.”
Ootha district prime lamb producer Alan Hutchinson, “Mayfield”, needed to find replacements as many of his ewes had died of heliotrope poisoning.
He purchased 151 first-cross ewes including the $252 top-priced draft of 86 August/September 2016 drop, August shorn from Macquarie View Trust, Trangie.
Another draft at second top money of $238 were 65 June/July ‘16 drop September shorn from the Langford family, “Springwood”, Dubbo.
Store lambs were a hot commodity with 730 topping at $125 and selling down to $87.
The Glasson family, “Sunny Clime”, Collie, gained that top money for a draft of 134 April/May 2017 drop mixed-sex off shears which were bought by Young district producer Ron Whitechurch, “Green View”, who paid an average $155 for 210 head.
“I’ve got the feed so these should return $160 to $170 in two-plus months time,”he said.
Eumalga Partnership, “Broadwater”, Warren, sold 241 August/September ‘17 drop November shorn store lambs at $122 each.
Makag Family Trust, “Sunset”, Yeoval, gained $154 each for 321 three-year-old November shorn White Dorper ewes 100pc in lamb to White Dorper rams, $152 for 30 two-year-olds and $146 for 362 four year-olds.
David and Tamara Brown, “South Cowal”, Narromine, sold 120 August/September ‘17 drop unshorn Australian White ewes at $152 each and also received $112 a head for 60 in the second lick.
