Pens of highly polished first-cross young ewes sailed to a new state high so far this season of $345 a head at Bendigo on Friday.
The market toppers, a pen of 254, were bred ex-classed Merino ewes by Bungaree Border Leicester rams.
They were also part of a much larger 1000 head consignment by crossbreeding specialists, James and Lynda Cartwright, Raywood.
Their August/September 2017-drop pen was taken by repeat buyer of five years, Tim Fraser, Tatyoon, while a second draft of the Cartwright young ewes, 200 in the pen, made $332.
This lot was claimed by another repeat buyer, Landmark Leongatha, as were the yards from the Cartwright family’s October/November 2017-drop consignment, that made $300-$318, which again all fell to the bids placed by repeat buyer interests.
Other sales of top line ewes, in an outstanding quality yarding, made $250-$305.
These sales were led by lines offered by Rodney and Natalie Broom, Raywood, 127 head of September/October 2017-drop ewes by Blackgate rams, which sold at $305, and M&N Hall and GM Laurie, both of Raywood, which each sold pens of one year-old young ewes, priced at $295.
The market for slightly smaller-grown one and 1.5 year-olds, some which offered early shearing, then turned sticky and bidding more inconsistent.
These saw many make $200-$240, with odd lots not sold by failing to meet the expectation of the vendors.
The yarding of 24,000 was much larger than agents had initially expected, with the larger numbers lending favorably to an oversupply situation, with a limited field of volume buyers attending.
The demand for another outstanding display of top line 2018-drop ewe lambs was extremely solid with numerous sales achieved at $260, before topping twice at $264.
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The dual market toppers were entries by DR Collins and Partners, Bridgewater, and WH, EI and N Punton, Woodstock.
The market’s volume ewe lamb seller was Geoff and Dianne Allan, Mathoura, NSW.
Their Melrose ewe lambs, by Retallack rams, made to $260, as did a J&L Cartwright pen, a pen offered by R & N Broom, and one by W&P Johnston, Myola.
Other ewe lamb lines suitable for an autumn joining, of which there were many, made $190-$240, while backgrounder ewe lambs made $140-$180.
Buyer interest for mature-aged proven breeders was exceptional.
A dispersal of the CE Agnew, Nungarra, Glenhope, flock, consisting of group ages from two to five years, soared well above all expectations.
A pen of 2016-drop two year-olds made $268 a head, yards of 2015-drop ewes made $220 and $224, yards of 2014-drop ewes made $175 and $180, and a line of 2013-drop was sold for $160.