RESTOCKERS with paddocks to spare from Benalla, Victoria, to Tullibigeal, Forbes and locally bought well at the 52nd annual Condobolin Sheep Breeders' Association sale last Thursday paying $84 for two pens of 11/2-year-old Merino ewes to top the sale.
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The yarding of 10,000 sheep also attracted butcher interest, particularly in the unshorn wether portion pushing prices to a top of $70.
The sale was split into Merino ewe drafts totalling about 4000 head with another 4500 Merino wethers and some 1200 first-cross ewes, all in good condition considering the long dry.
It was a hard sale according to "Blue" Reardon of J.N. Straney and Son who said wether lambs sold well while ewes were "pretty tough to move".
"It's been a long dry and people are now beginning to experience water problems in the northern region of the district," he said.
Moncrieff Livestock and Property principal Greg Moncrieff said the wether market was very solid.
"They were in top condition considering the seasons they've had," he said.
"Young unshorn wether lambs drew strong restocker interest while butchers competed successfully for shorn drafts.
"Merino ewes were also presented well and sold on a firm market compared to recent sales."
Merino ewes ranged in prices from $40 to $84 with two lots making the top figure.
First to top was a draft of 188 Merino ewes, August/September 2012 drop, Darriwell blood and July shorn bred and offered by Rob Watt of Mookabri Pastoral Company, Condo-bolin, selling to the Henderson family of Tullibigeal.
A Forbes restocker secured the other $84 draft of 98 Merino ewes, August 2012 drop, Gullen Gamble blood and June shorn bred and offered by the Patton family, "Ghin Ghin", Condobolin.
The Buckland family of "Winberongen", Condobolin, gained $82 a head for their pen of 112 Dohne ewes April/May 2012, Gullendah blood and August shorn.
Their other pen of 21/2 to 31/2 Dohne ewes made $62.
Quality ewes followed making $72 a head for a line of Bundemar blood July/August 2012 drop, August shorn Merino ewes from the Harding family, "Brooklyn", Condobolin, while other offerings from district breeders kept in the $70 range.
A complete dispersal of the Oakland flock, Ungarie, for the Hirsch and Metcalf families resulted in the December 2012 drop of Prime SAMM/Merino ewes of Hillcreston blood with a January skin topping at $68 while F1 and F2 ewes of August/September 2012 drop made $67 and $62.
Barry and Harold Crouch and families "Milby", Condobolin, topped the wether market at $70 with their draft of 1207 unshorn May/June 2013 drop Merino wethers of Milby blood selling to a Benalla, Victoria, restocker.
Barry Crouch said the buyer had purchased Milby wethers a couple of years ago and was obviously happy to send his agent back.
Allan Hilder, Corona Pastoral Company, Condobolin, paid 64 a head for 497 "Inglewood" bred wethers, June/July 2013 drop unshorn, bred by Jon and Colleen L'Estrange.
The wethers would be lot fed for the lamb market.
Mark Griggs
Journalist for The Land at Dubbo.
Journalist for The Land at Dubbo.
