1.5yo Woodanilling ewes make $192 at Katanning

The sale, which was the first spring ewe sale at Katanning in a couple of years for the company, received strong support from local vendors and included a flock dispersal.

In the sale the Elders team presented a quality yarding of 6516 Merino ewes and lambs, made up predominantly of maiden, yellow tag ewes from local and surrounding areas.

With the support from Great Southern buyers and a strong representation from the Elders network, auctioneer James Culleton found new homes for all but one of the 23 lines on offer at an overall average of $143, to be similar to other spring ewe sales held this month.

All the lines sold stayed in WA and were sold to buyers in the hunt for replacement ewes for their prime lamb enterprises.

Broken down, the 4321 1.5-year-old ewes sold averaged $153, while the 1492 2.5-4.5yo ewes sold for an average of $136 and the 508 ewe lambs averaged $80.

Not only did the maiden ewes dominate the yarding in terms of numbers they also got the sale off to a solid start with the first line selling at the sale's $192 top price.

Leading the way in these pens was a line of 413 July shorn, Woolkabin blood, 1.5yo ewes offered by the Patterson family, Bibikin Farms, Woolkabin stud, Woodanilling.

Mr Culleton took an opening bid of $170 on the well-grown ewes and from there buyers jumped in and quickly pushed the price up.

SALE SUMMARY:

Autumn shorn

Winter shorn

Spring shorn

Unshorn Merino ewe lambs: $80

Eventually the ewes were knocked down at the day's $192 top price to Mt Barker producer Warren Thomas, RW & JM Thomas, who was looking for replacement breeders for his prime lamb enterprise.

The ewes will be joined to White Suffolk sires for an April/May lambing.

Also heading to Mr Thomas' property was a second line of 1.5yo ewes when he bid to the sale's $162 equal third top price for 143 Mianelup blood, September ewes from RJ Hewett, Pingrup.

The second top price was $164 for 320 June shorn, 1.5yo ewes carrying Barloo bloodlines offered by C & M English, Wagin.

Securing the well-grown ewes was Elders, Lake Grace/Dumbleyung agent Graeme Taylor, who purchased them for RP & AM Taylor, Lake Grace.

Lake Grace vendor AT & D Morgan was the other vendor to sell at the $162 equal third top price when its draft of 113 October shorn, East Mundalla blood, 1.5yo ewes were knocked down at this value to the Taylor family, Krool Holdings, Kukerin.

The Taylor family, was in the hunt for replacement ewes for their prime lamb enterprise, also purchased a second line of 1.5yo ewes at $155.

They bid to this value for 364 Mittakeri/Collinsville blood, October shorn ewes from AG & AM Carmody, Kulin.

The Taylors will join both lines of ewes to White Suffolk sires for an April lambing.

Elders, Mt Barker representative Dean Wallinger purchased three lines of 1.5yo ewes for Mt Barker prime lamb enterprises that were all wanting replacement breeders.

Mr Wallinger's first purchase at $158 was 390 May shorn, Woolkabin blood ewes from Nullawill Traders, Woodanilling.

He then went on to pay $145 for 98 September shorn, Ongerup blood ewes from A K J Slee, Ongerup and $138 for 125 August shorn ewes based on Barloo and Mianelup bloodlines from KB & DL Wise, Gnowangerup.

Another line to make more than $150 was a draft of 196 Wiringa Park/Anglesey blood, October shorn ewes from MK & M Peakall, Borden, which sold at $156 to SN & HR Garlick, Kondinin.

Another multiple line buyer in the 1.5yo ewes was Gnowangerup Farms, Boyup Brook, purchasing two lines.

It bid to $152 for 401 Nepowie/Leovale blood, October shorn ewes from TF & JF De Landgrafft, Ravensthorpe and $146 for 382 September shorn ewes based on Sunny Valley and Woolkabin bloodlines from Lavender Farm Co, Williams.

Kendenup enterprise Pardee Grazing and MW & RM King, Augusta, also supported the 1.5yo ewe offering.

The Kings purchased 437 Mianelup blood, April shorn ewes from KG Cunningham & Co, Tambellup, at $144, while Pardee Grazing went to $145 of 408 May shorn ewes bred from Strath-Haddon and Lukin Springs bloodlines which were offered by Rockley Ridge, Woodanilling, which was dispersing its ewe flock in the sale.

READ MORE:

There were two other lines of October shorn 1.5yo ewes sold, DR & JS Crawley, purchased 221 Woodyarrup blood ewes from Eddington Farming Co, Katanning, through Elders, Cranbrook agent Clarke Skinner at $140, while 1080 Farming, Katanning, bid $132 for 92 Wiringa Park blood ewes from KJ & LM Barrett, Kent.

Along with offering 1.5yo ewes in the sale as part of its flock dispersal, Rockley Ridge offered three lines of May shorn mature ewes (2.5-4.5yo) and a line of ewe lambs which were all bred from Lukin Springs and Strath-Haddon bloodlines.

Green Range producer Jeremy Walker, JM & ME Walker, purchased two lines of the Rockley Ridge mature ewes.

He paid $154 for the 441 2.5yo ewes and $110 for 299 4.5yo ewes.

Mr Walker purchased a line of 357 Rutherglen blood, September shorn, 2.5yo ewes from Yellagong Farms Pty Ltd, Williams, at $120, and two smaller lines of 1.5yo ewes.

He went to $124 for 120 Wiringa Park blood, October shorn 1.5yo ewes from HG & NG Milne, Magitup and $122 for 98 July shorn, Woolkabin blood ewes from Bibikin Farms.

Mr Walker, the volume buyer on the day, said he was happy to be able to buy a number of lines of ewes out of the sale as the family was looking to increase its breeding numbers.

"This year we are aiming to join 5000 ewes to Merinos and another 5000 ewes to White Suffolk ewes," Mr Walker said.

"These ewes will all go to White Suffolk rams."

Rockley Ridge's line of 3.5yo ewes which consisted of 395 head sold at $150 to Mr Skinner, who bid on behalf of RN & M Swarbrick, Jerramungup, while its line of 508 unshorn ewe lambs sold for $80 to an Elders Jerramungup account.

WHAT THE AGENT SAID:

ELDERS auctioneer and Gnowangerup representative James Culleton said it was Elders first spring ewe sale at Katanning in a couple of years.

"The ewes presented exceptionally well and were a credit to the vendors given the weather in the lead up to the sale," Mr Culleton said.

"It was a sticky sale in patches but the prices were comparable to current market values.

"At the moment buyers are lacking a bit of confidence to buy replacement breeders as they don't have the space onfarm.

"The wet start to harvest has meant they don't have any stubbles readily available yet and also they haven't been able to offload mutton and lambs due to booking spaces not being available."