Barellan agencies Findlays Barellan and Mark Flagg Livestock and Property yarded 3700 first-cross ewes for the Annual Barellan Breeders' sale and saw a top price of $378 realised for the pen of 142 March/July 2018-drop, June shorn ewes sired by Mt Beckom BL rams out of Laurel Park-blood Merino ewes.
Sold by K.W and D.M Studholme, Weethalle, the ewes had been scanned in lamb 157 percent to White Suffolk rams to lamb 1 April and bought by Coleambally interests.
Opening the sale, Neil Findlay thought the ewes overall might have been as heavy as anything presented in the past and especially considering the amount of feed gone into them it was simply a credit to the vendors.
Judge for the best presented pen sponsored by Mount Beckom Border Leicesters, Ardlethan, Graeme Golder, Tegra Border Leicesters, Temora told the crowd he could have given the prize to any number of pens; but the winning pen presented by Doug and Scott McDonald had a little bit more bloom and bit more finish.
Reflecting on the sale, Mark Flagg said the extra heavy ewe lambs ready for immediate joining sold to expectations.
"The $300 rate seemed to have some resistance with many buyers prepared to buy at $290," he said.
"I thought the scanned-in-lamb ewes sold extremely well and especially for older ewes.
"But I thought the younger ewes might have made a bit more."
Mr Flagg said strong buyer competition from Leongatha, Victoria, Blayney, Crookwell, Goulburn, Coleambally, Wagga Wagga, Albury and Gubbata confirmed the annual sale as one of the premier sources of quality first-cross ewes in the south.
- Full report next week
