A price of $262 a head for the sought-after Goolgumbla-blood Mooloomoon, Moulamein Merino ewes topped the Hay Merino Breeders September sheep sale where 47,000 were penned.
Sold by Nick McKindlay, this August-shorn line of 434 was secured and shared by Elders Wagga Wagga and Barellan-based Mark Flagg Livestock while its second draft ewes, comprising 516, made $240 a head selling outright to Mark Flagg.
Andrew Douglas, from Moulamein yarded 1450 highly regarded Merino ewes, May/June 2017 drop, Moolpa-bred Goolgumbla-blood and August shorn, to $256 while its second draft made $242 a head.
These two sales plus a further 11 breeders lines made a tally of 13 sale lots that were recorded above $200 a head which was considered a satisfactory result given the circumstances of the season.
Among those to head the honours list were: Bill and Paddy Ryan, Curragh Station, Oxley who sold 400 May/June 17 drop, July-shorn and Curragh-blood, for $238 while the Schiller family, Tarwong, Hay sold 415 May/June 17 drop, Bluebush-blood also at $238.
Other happy vendors included Rowan Houston, Budgewah, Hay who sold 405 May/June 2017 drop, August-shorn and Woodpark-blood sold at $230 and the Booth family, Humewood, Booligal who sold 431 Bluebush-blood, April/May 2017 drop ewes for $224.
Buyers from the southern Riverina and southern slopes of NSW, all parts of Victoria and the southeast SA were part of the action. However unlike the demand in recent years this year’s inquiry lacked the capacity and desire to absorb the large Riverina drafts as offered.
Elders auctioneer, Jason Andrews remarked that the top drafts of ewes had made their money, without any excess or fuss but light ewes sales he said were “exceptional”.
“For the condition that some of the lighter carried they will take some work to join. But where most of these sheep have gone there is the time and the feed for this to happen” he said.
Breeding ewes, aged two to four years sold from $138 to $204 while the pens of 5.5 year-old ewes were sold mostly from $82 to $141, with the best-priced taken for processing.
The best sale for the older ewes was secured by the Bluebush-blood Tholloloboy-bred 13-drop ewes from Mossgiel while the lead 378 head of Alma-blood Yamba-bred, Booligal ewes made to $110.
Two pens of 17-drop wethers completed the sale selling at $85 and $108 while two pens of 18-drop ewe lambs made $98 and $148.
Hay agents Landmark and Elders conducted the sale.