Quality Border Leicester/Merino first-cross ewes aided by ideal seasonal conditions kept spirits high with buyers eager to purchase sheep during Friday's annual Blue Ribbon First-Cross Sale in Bendigo.
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Many pens of ewes and ewe lambs were back significantly compared to last year's sale, but regular prices of $200 a head for top pens was still considered a great outcome, according to Bendigo-based McKean McGregor livestock director Alex Collins.
"It was an exceptional run of ewe lambs as well as one-year-old and 1.5-year-old sheep here at Bendigo, which people have become accustomed to," he said.
"We've got specialist breeders that present these sheep and really have done well to give magnificent conditions every year at this fixture."
Ewes condition boosts prices
Mr Collins said while agents and vendors recognised the prices favoured buyers, the condition of ewes and ewe lambs at the annual sale helped boost prices slightly when compared to other sheep markets.
"I'm really pleasantly surprised, probably with how things are with the quality of sheep and how they sold," he said.
Bridgewater pen earns top price
The James Cartwright Memorial award for the day's top price went to Rodney Bloom, Bridgewater, who sold a pen of 179 July/August 2022-drop ewes, bred from specially selected classed SA and WA-blood ewes, for $234.
Most of the 1.5 and one-year-old ewes sold between $180-$230, while second drafts of one-year-old ewes sold between $160-$180.
Agents yarded about 29,000 sheep, including 13,826 ewes which averaged $162, while 15,444 ewe lambs averaged $130.
The draft of ewe lambs did nearly as well as their older sisters.
Mr Collins said many pens of ewe lambs were in excess of $190, "which was a really positive thing".
"We haven't seen that at any other recent sales or on the digital platforms lately, and I thought the middle run of ewe lambs sold exceptionally well," he said.
"There was a strong base through there, and towards the end, lighter ewe lambs probably did a fraction more than expected."
The Collins family of Bridgewater, trading as DR Collins & Partners, sold 307 April/May 2023-drop ewe lambs for $224 to top that age bracket, and received the best-presented award from agents for that pen.
Along with their top pen of ewe lambs, the family sold 244 head, September/October 2022-drop, for $224.
GJ & DM Allan, Mathoura, NSW, was not far away in price, with a draft of 360 March/April 2023-drop ewe lambs, which sold for $204.
Andy Hay and family from Kamarooka, sold 200 ewe lambs, April/May 2022-drop, for $214.
Sheep recover after floods
A year ago, Mr Hay was battling huge floods, but he said sheep throughout the yard displayed great quality, despite the challenges producers faced.
"A lot of people didn't have much land after the floods, and it took about three or four months for things to pick up as feed washed away," he said.
"Our sheep have come up really well, but it's also an outstanding yarding here today so others have done great too."
Local farmers and plenty of agent buyers from the north-east and Gippsland competed heavily for sheep throughout the sale.
Agents passed in 734 sheep while $60 was the lowest price received in both the ewe and ewe lamb run.
Other results:
M & B Perryman, Mysia, sold 196 head, April 2021-drop, for $224
A & T Cole, Raywood, sold 170 head, May/June 2022-drop, $226.
G & M Lourie, Raywood, sold 198 head, September 2022-drop, for $205.
Golden Wattle, Quantambook, sold 100 head, April 2022-drop, for $220.
JM & PJ Darker, Boort, sold 248 head, April/May 2022-drop, for $214.
Monmoore, Laancoorie, sold 210 head, April/May 2022-drop, for $182.
Tangles Pastoral, Euroa, sold 125 head, May/June 2022-drop, for $200.
J & L Cartwright, Raywood, sold 197 head, June 2022-drop, for $200, while Glencoe sold 140 head, June 2023-drop, for $180.
This article first appeared in Stock and Land.
