WIDESPREAD buying support swayed solid results for a large yarding of ewes and lambs at the annual Nutrien Livestock sheep sale at Eneabba earlier this month, with maiden spring shorn ewes selling to $262.
With the addition of a few flock dispersals, numbers swelled to 6331 ewes and lambs with the Nutrien Livestock team yarding a well-presented line-up of young and mature ewes and mixed sex lambs, reflecting the favourable seasonal conditions.
The Eneabba yards were reopened in 2013 as a well-situated outlet for northern sheep producers and after a two year break, this year was the fifth consecutive sale at the venue held by Nutrien Livestock (and previously Primaries).
It has proved popular with vendors and buyers returning to support the annual fixture.
With the flock dispersals, there were stronger numbers of mature age ewes represented against the younger annual draft maiden ewes.
The yarding comprised of winter and spring shorn drafts ranging from 1.5-year-old to 5.5yo Merino ewes with one older autumn shorn line and pens of unshorn crossbred and Merino mixed sex lambs.
The sale was interfaced on AuctionsPlus with local and interstate buyers competing online against strong support from agents and buyers at the grounds.
WA buyers stretched from all parts between Northampton, Eastern Wheatbelt and Esperance and while two lines of ewes sold to New South Wales on AuctionsPlus, the majority of the yarding went to new homes in WA.
AuctionsPlus received 1851 catalogue views with 33 registered bidders logged into the sale locally and from NSW, Victoria and South Australia.
The platform placed 23 online bids placed across eight lots with the other four lots selling to WA buyers online.
A softening trend of the replacement ewe market in the weeks leading to the sale saw auctioneer Craig Walker, Nutrien Livestock, Nothern and Eastern Wheatbelt, toil hard throughout the yarding and at the completion of selling, results were up on last year across all indicators.
The sale grossed $1,213,232 at an overall average of $192, up $36 compared to last year where 4677 ewes and lambs averaged $156.
The yarding of 5405 ewes averaged $201 across all ages and shearings compared to $184 last year.
Spring shorn 1.5yo ewes topped the sale at $264 and 2.5-5.5yo ewes sold to $220 while in the winter shorn ewes, 1.5yo lines peaked at $224, 2.5yo ewes $214 and 3.5-4.5yo ewes sold to $210.
The store and forward store unshorn mixed sex lambs sold to $140 for a crossbred draft while Merino lamb values topped at $132.
Values peaked from the outset with a big framed line of 331 October shorn Mulga Springs blood, 1.5yo ewes offered by CS & PJ Hasleby, Mulga Springs stud, Northampton.
Buyers were hesitant to offer the first bid but eventually it kicked off and a bidding battle ensued before finally being knocked down to Nutrien Livestock, Northampton agent Chad Smith, representing a Northampton return buyer of the Hasleby's ewes.
The following two lines of young ewes shared the second top price of $224.
First was 302 August shorn Arra-dale blood, 1.5yo ewes offered by Sutherland Grazing, Arra-dale and Sandown studs, Perenjori, which were purchased by Tipperary Farming Enterprise, Tipperary stud, Walkaway.
Local Eneabba graziers AJ Hortin dispersed their ewe flock of July shorn Hardings MPM blood, scanned empty 1.5yo to 5.5yo ewes at the sale.
The dispersal's 449 1.5yo ewes topped their values when they sold for $224 to McNamara Farms, Badgingarra.
QP & PH Grazing, Canna, were another vendor to disperse their 1.5yo to 5.5yo ewe flock at the sale.
An online buyer from Trangie, NSW, secured the dispersal's 249 July shorn Moojepin MPM blood, 1.5yo ewes for $200 and the 368 2.5yo ewes of the same description for $214.
A big line of 605 June shorn Rutherglen blood 1.5yo ewes from the Northampton paddocks of IE & EM Teakle were good value buying for Tipperary Farming Enterprise costing $196.
Mature age ewe values topped at $220 for 474 Ejanding blood, September shorn 3.5yo ewes offered by regular vendors IA & CA Kerr, Coorow and Badgingarra.
The ewes were purchased by John Minty, I & J Minty, Dandaragan/Moora, who said the bigger frames of the Kerr family's ewes were suited to prime lamb production.
The ewes will be joined to Chelsea White Suffolk rams at the end of November for an end of September onwards sucker lamb turnoff, with any lighter lambs carried through and finished on lupin stubbles and sold in January-February.
The previous line of 193 August shorn Walkindyer blood, 3.5yo ewes presented by Ringa Grazing were snapped up by Macclesfield Farms, Morawa, while the 320 3.5yo ewes from the Hortin dispersal of the same description as their younger sisters sold to Hamelin Pool Pastoral Company, Walkaway, for $200.
Also dispersing their 1.5yo to 5.5yo September shorn Parakeelya MPM blood ewe flock at the sale was Lime Peak Grazing, Guilderton, with their values topping at $190 for 239 3.5yo ewes which were knocked down to Leno Vigolo, WA Rural, Nutrien Livestock, for a Northam buyer.
Older 4.5-5.5yo ewe prices topped at $190 paid by a northern agricultural region buyer on AuctionsPlus for 300 September shorn Arrin Park blood, 4.5yo ewes offered by H & UD Reed, Arrin Park stud, Three Springs.
Tom Paige, Elders Geraldton, paid the next highest price of $188 for mature ewes collecting 253 August shorn Glen-Byrne/Rhamily blood, 4.5-5.5yo ewes from Ringa Grazing and the following pen of 306 5.5yo ewes from the Hasleby's draft sold to Mr Smith for an Eastern Wheatbelt buyer for $184.
Three drafts of mixed sex lambs rounded out the sale with Tebco Fishing, Dongara, offering 457 unshorn Gulamby Texel and Hillcroft Poll Dorset blood crossbred lambs making $140 and their next line of 205 unshorn Allanena/Lyndale blood Merino lambs sold for $132 with both lines going to a Bruce Rock buyer on AuctionsPlus.
Ringa Grazing's 264 unshorn Walkindyer blood lambs also sold to AuctionsPlus for $130 and will head to a new home at Esperance.
What the agent said
SALE auctioneer Craig Walker, Nutrien Livestock, Northern and Eastern Wheatbelt, said the ewes and lambs presented very well and it was a strong sale for the annual Eneabba fixture.
"Proven 2.5yo to 4.5yo ewes were keenly sought after with northern ag region growers chasing particular bloodlines for prime lamb production," Mr Walker said.
"Good dispersal ewes sold well and lambs sold into the Wheatbelt and Peel areas.
"It was good to see bidders from throughout Australia operating on AuctionsPlus with ewes heading to new homes as far as Trangie, New South Wales.
"Well done to the vendors and Nutrien Livestock staff for their efforts in presenting the sheep on AuctionsPlus, it's a bit of extra work but provides good returns for growers.
"Thank you to the sale vendors, buyers and underbidders both at the sale and online, carriers and the Nutrien Livestock network for their ongoing support at the Eneabba sale."