Brighter seasonal conditions in the south and across the Victorian border lifted prices considerably at last Wednesday’s 14,000 head West Wyalong Sheep Breeders Sale.
Rising 16-month-old Merino ewes topped the sale at $280 while first-cross ewes made to $226 and mixed-sex second-cross lambs born in June/July this year made up to $146 unshorn.
Paul Quade of Quade Livestock and Property, West Wyalong, said the sale was incredible.
“This has been the best market for some time and we saw a terrific turn-around in buyer confidence,” Mr Quade said.
“Across the board, it was a very good sale with demand strong for all lines of sheep offered.
“The 1 ½ year-olds found solid demand while as predicted, the mutton side driven by the steady price in current prime sales, kept values high for older ewes.”
Mr Quade said the four meat buyers attending found it hard to secure lines as restocker demand was so high.
Top priced pen of Merino ewes was a line of 220 May 2017 drop, April shorn of OneOak/Darriwell Poll blood bred by Allan Ireland and family, Allonvale, Tullibigeal, selling at $280 to Pat and Michelle Roscarel, Roslyn, Girral.
Best presented pen was a draft of 380 Merino ewes of Lachlan Merino blood, June/July ‘17 drop and August shorn, bred by Maree Stockman, Forest Lodge, Gubbata, which made $210 to the Boyd family, Albury.
Wallambi Pastoral Company, Tallimba, sold 300 June/July ‘17 drop Merino ewes of Pastora blood, August shorn at $206 each to the Moloney family, Wagga.
Mount Mulga Pastoral Company, West Wyalong, sold 240 Merino ewes, July/August ‘17 drop, Laurel Park blood, April shorn for $237 a head to Wilson Partnership, Cowra, repeat buyers who secured several lines of young ewes on the day.
An outstanding line of 270 Merino ewes of Winyar blood, March/April 2015 drop from Paul McDonell, Lenore, Tallimba, made $192 to John and Leanne Staniforth, Norwood Park, Tallimba.
The Staniforths sold the top-priced pen of first-cross ewes at $226 to the Hogan family, Cootamundra. These were 160 June/July’17 drop.
Store lambs made up close to 4000 head and demand was driven by the season, according to Mr Quade, with 440 second-cross mixed-sex lambs, June/July’18 drop unshorn, offered by Peter and Pat Wood, Roloma, Yalgogrin, selling at up to $146 each to Duxtin Broadacre Farming.
Steve and Maree Messner, Taloon, Tallimba, gained $81 a head for 170 Merino wether lambs, May/June’18 drop unshorn of Blink Bonnie blood, selling to Oxenbridge Farming, Tallimba.
