THE WA sheep market went to another level last week when prices hit a high of $172.50 for one-year-old Merino ewes at the Combined Agents Katanning June Special Sheep Sale.
With demand strong from both processor and export orders, the sale was red hot throughout giving producers plenty of confidence going forward.
The sale was just another positive indication of where the WA sheep market currently sits.
Since the beginning of the year sheep producers have seen prices for all types of sheep soar both in the yards and on-farm as demand increases with the opening up of new markets.
In the Muchea Livestock Centre weekly trade sale, shipping wether prices have lifted from $60 to $110 (an 83 per cent rise), mutton is up 100c/kg since January and lambs have jumped from 445c/kg to 620c/kg (39pc rise).
All up 15,369 wethers and ewes were sold in the sale for an average of $110.45, which was a very strong result according to all agents.
In comparison in last year's sale 18,171 wethers and ewes sold to a top of $90 and an average of $73.77, which meant the average jumped nearly 50 per cent or $36.68 on last year.
In the breakdown, the four agents sold 12,602 wethers for an average of $109.71 and to a top of $160.50 and 2767 ewes for an average on $113.81.
Last year 16,039 wethers averaged $74.58 and 2131 ewes averaged $67.69, which equates to the wether prices jumping 47pc and ewes 68pc.
Like in previous years Livestock Shipping Services (LSS) was the volume buyer on any wether lines suitable for shipping, but this year it had plenty of competition from processors including first-time buyers at the sale V & V Walsh.
LLS buyer Chris Medcalf said is was quite evident which lines of sheep were grainfed and well prepared for the sale.
"Lines of lambs in prime condition were keenly sought after by processors and live exporters and other lines that had broken their lamb's teeth, including older sheep in good condition, were purchased by live exporters," Mr Medcalf said.
"Relative to the market, light stores made huge money and were keenly sought after by the many graziers at the sale for future wool production and fattening.
"For example there was only about a $10 difference between the bottom-end of my live export purchasers and some of the store lines with the export sheep 10kg heavier."
All up LSS secured 5127 wethers to a top of $140.50, which they paid for a line of 2yo wethers, while V & V Walsh buyer Steve Forrest purchased 2105 wethers and 724 ewes, including both the day's $172.50 top-priced line of ewes and $160.50 top-priced line of wethers.
The well-presented sale-topping line of 479 January-shorn, Kolindale/Lewisdale blood, 1yo ewes were offered by the Tyson family, AD & PA Tyson, Kulin.
The losing bidder on the line was WAMMCO.
V & V Walsh representative Rob Cockman said the Tyson family's draft of Merino ewe lambs was very good.
"You can't get much better than these," he said.
