CONFIDENCE in the sheep industry was on display at the Nutrien Livestock Special Sheep sale at Katanning on November 19 after bidders helped achieve a sale average of $208 per head.
At the call of sale-o, a crowd of eager bidders had filed into the lanes.
There were 39 registered bidders who quickly snapped up the yarding of 8236 ewes and lambs.
Making up the majority of the yarding were spring-shorn 5.5-year-old ewes with 2166 head penned.
There was also a large number of 1.5 year-old spring shorn ewes with 1958, while the remainder of the yarding included 2.5-4.5yo ewes and wether lambs.
Broken down, the 22 lots comprising (6784) of ewes averaged $223, while the three lots (1452) of wether lambs averaged $138.
The sale was aided by the genuine flock dispersals of P & W Bradshaw, Tambellup and Sachse Farming.
Nutrien Livestock agents interfaced with AuctionsPlus throughout the sale.
Just one line of 377 November shorn, Anglesey/Wiringa Park bloodline, 1.5yo ewes from P & W Bradshaw sold via the platform at $230 to a New South Wales (NSW) buyer.
Achieving the sale's top price of $268 was Elders agent Peter Forrest on behalf of Bungalow Contracting, Boyup Brook, and was for a line of 368 October shorn, Willemenup blood, 2.5yo ewes offered by Dion Letter, JJ & AE Letter, Tambellup.
R & J Garstone sold a line of 209 October shorn, Moojepin blood, 1.5yo ewes for the sale's second top price of $264 to a Nutrien Livestock account.
The next price of $260 was paid by RW & JM Thomas, Mt Barker, for a line of November shorn, Anglesey/Wiringa Park bloodline, 2.5yo ewes offered by P & W Bradshaw.
RW & JM Thomas went on to secure a line of 274 October shorn, Rangeview bloodline, 2.5yo ewes from Jameric Grazing at $234.
Two different lines of 1.5yo ewes made $230.
Lot five was made up of 629 November shorn, Keetlen Valley bloodline 1.5yo ewes, offered by JW Smart & Co and sold to Shamrock Grazing Co, Cranbrook.
The next lot to make $230 included 340 October shorn, Willemenup bloodline, 1.5yo ewes from JJ & AE Letter and sold to JM Hebb & Co.
Nutrien Livestock, Wickepin paid $222 for a pen of 215 October shorn, East Mundalla bloodline, 1.5yo ewes offered by P & L Keley.
Also purchased by Nutrien, Wickepin was a line offered by Nippering Farming which included 188 November shorn, East Mundalla bloodline, 1.5yo ewes at $208.
There was just one pen of 3.5yo ewes, 255 November shorn, Anglesey/Wiringa Park bloodline ewes offered by P & W Bradshaw and sold to Viewtop Pastoral Co, Woogenellup.
Elders paid $248 on behalf of a client for a pen of 504 November shorn, Wiringa Park bloodline, 4.5yo ewes, offered by Compass Agriculture.
P & W Bradshaw sold a line of 198 November shorn, Anglesey/Wiringa Park bloodline, 4.5yo ewes to RJ Garnett & Son for $244.
Sachse Farming sold a pen of 605 September shorn, Cardiff bloodline, 4.5yo ewes to Redhill Farming Estate, Pingrup, for $212.
Kohat Farm, Ongerup, was an active bidder, securing three separate lines of 5.5yo ewes.
The top priced pen of 5.5yo ewes cost $220 and consisted of 328 November shorn, Moojepin bloodline, 5.5yo ewes from R & J Garstone.
The next pen included 189 November shorn, Anglesey/Wiringa Park, 5.5yo ewes offered by P & W Bradshaw at $210.
The final line purchased by Kohat Farm was a pen of 174 October shorn, Westerdale bloodline, 5.5yo ewes offered by Naomi Van Der Wielen for $202.
Also securing a line of 5.5yo ewes was TC & JC Biddulph, Ravensthorpe, paying $212 for a pen of 211 November shorn, Wallinar bloodline ewes from Craigston Farming.
Another line of 5.5yo ewes made $205 paid by W & Wilson, Narrogin, for 333 October shorn, East Mundalla bloodline ewes offered by P & L Keley.
At the backend of the sale there were three large pens of wether lambs.
The first pen was made up of 546 October shorn, Sunny Valley bloodline, wether lambs offered by BJ Jackson and sold to Mt Barker Transport Services, Mt Barker, for $136.
Westcoast Wool & Livestock paid $138 for a pen of 456 unshorn, July drop Merino wether lambs from P & W Bradshaw.
Nutrien Livestock, Narrogin successfully bid on the final lot of the sale, paying $142 for 450 unshorn, July Merino wether lambs also offered by P & W Bradshaw.
What the agent said:
NUTRIEN Livestock auctioneer Mark Warren said it was an outstanding line-up of ewes including two dispersals.
"The sale was above expectations with lines selling for $20-$30 dearer than what was expected," Mr Warren said.
"Overall it was a good sale and was positive to see a large number of registered buyers.
"There were limited lots sold via AuctionsPlus and the majority of the sheep remained local.
"It was a very strong result and we would like to thank all of the vendors."
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