Wickepin ewes make $248 in the Nutrien Livestock two-day circuit sheep sale

With the special ewe sale at Merredin joining in with the long running State Premier Ewe and Wether Lamb Sale at Corrigin and Wickepin in 2020, the three legged, two-day format is proving popular with buyers and vendors alike with good crowds again turning up at all venues.

Across the three locations, the Nutrien Livestock team this year yarded 13,555 ewes and wether lambs and while numbers were back on the past two years, the quality certainly wasn't and buyers acknowledged this in their strong bidding.

The Nutrien Livestock selling team headed by Mark Warren backed by the company's strong network recorded a total clearance of all sheep at an overall average of $182.

Descriptions at all three venues were dominated by 1.5-year-old to 5.5yo ewes which included many drafts from regular vendors.

Broken down, 12,591 ewes sold for an overall average of $188 while 964 wether lambs sold to an average of $112.

Compared to last year's sale this represented a 6648 fall in the total numbers offered while the overall average fell $40 to be similar to the 2020 average.

In the breakdown of last year's sale 17,531 ewes sold to an average of $230, which meant this year's ewe average was back $42, while 2772 wether lambs averaged $158, meaning this year's average was back $46 compared to 2020.

The drop in the prices compared to last year wasn't unexpected given the turbulence and uncertainty in the sheep markets over the past six months however when the numbers were crunched the final results were better than expected presale.

The first leg of the two-day circuit fixture kicked off at the Merredin saleyards last Thursday and a good crowd of buyers, agents, vendors and onlookers turned out.

The Nutrien Livestock Wheatbelt team from Livestock & Land penned an excellent yarding of 4015 ewes from well-known central and eastern Wheatbelt breeding flocks.

A prominent Eastern States' order, which operated in the sale last year was back again and pushed local buyers on the young ewe lines to ensure solid market values were achieved.

At the completion of selling Mr Warren had notched up a total clearance of the yarding at an overall average of $182.

Last year the sale averaged $227 across a much larger yarding of 8077 ewes.

The yarding this year was made up of 3060 1.5yo ewes and these sold to strong demand to average $185, while the remainder of the yarding consisted of 955 2.5 to 5.5yo ewes and these sold to an average of $171.

The run of 1.5yo ewes kicked the sale off and it was in these pens that the day's $213 top price line was found.

The line of 331 Manunda blood, March shorn from GA & AP Morgan, Doodlakine, created plenty of interest among buyers before finally being knocked down to Victorian livestock agents Zeb Broadbent and Alex Pollock, McKean McGregor Pty Ltd, Bendigo.

After buying through Nutrien Livestock Merredin's Aaron Caldwell, Livestock & Land, last year, the pair made the trip to the sale this year and they certainly made it worthwhile.

Not only did they purchase the top-priced line but they also purchased nine of the other 10 lines of 1.5yo Merino ewes offered.

They bid $209 for 271 Parakeelya blood, July shorn ewes from Tresilico Farms, Merredin and $207 for a smaller dispersal line consisting of 114 Olinda blood, September shorn ewes from RW & CE Ryan, Wyalkatchem.

Also heading onto the trucks to Victoria at more than $200 were two September shorn lines when they both sold at $204.

These lines were made of 410 Old Aprelia blood ewes from JE & AM Eiffler, Southern Cross and 192 Seven Oaks South blood ewes from DJ & EA Brown, Burracoppin.

Other higher values bid by the pair for the 1.5yo lines they purchased were $199 for 153 July shorn ewes from SR & N Crees & Sons, Merredin, and $197 for 138 August shorn ewes from DJ & MA Penny, Westonia.

Both these lines were based on Seven Oaks South bloodlines.

The only line of 1.5yo Merino ewes not headed to Victoria out of the sale was a big run of 683 Ejanding blood, July shorn ewes from W Emmott & Sons, Dowerin and it sold to Nutrien Livestock, Kellerberrin agent Rex Luers, Livestock & Land at $152.

There was one line of 1.5yo Dohne ewes sold and it made $177.

The line of 156 Mollerin Rock blood, March shorn ewes offered by Tomalockin Farms, Cunderdin, was purchased by Nutrien Livestock, York agent Denis Warnick, for a York client.

When the sale moved to the proven breeding lines the highest price was $191 which was bid by Mr Broadbent and Mr Pollock for a line 133 Parakeelya blood, July shorn 2.5yo ewes from Tresilico Farms.

Along with picking up the line of Dohne ewes, Mr Denis also bid to $187 for his client and secured a dispersal line from RW & CE Ryan.

The line comprised 240 Olinda blood, September shorn, 2.5-3.5yo ewes.

Other older drafts to sell included 174 Lewisdale blood, August shorn 4.5yo ewes from H Willmott & Sons, Cunderdin, which made $183 selling to a Wheatbelt-based buyer, while AWN Livestock representative Jay Macdonald purchased 113 September shorn 2.5-4.5yo ewes based on Cardiff and Calcalling bloodlines from AG & NL Woodfield, Mukinbudin, at $161 and 295 Claypans blood, September shorn, 2.5-4.5yo ewes offered by DE Sedgwick & Co, Bruce Rock, at $148.

The first leg on day two of the circuit sale kicked off at the Corrigin saleyards last Friday where well-grown, maiden ewes sold to a top of $223.

In the sale, the Nutrien Livestock team headed by agent Ty Miller, put together a quality yarding of ewes and wether lamb from the regular vendors from the local area.

The yarding consisted of 2794 winter and spring shorn 1.5 to 5.5yo large framed, good conditioned ewes and 964 August shorn wether lambs and like the Merredin yarding, it was back in numbers compared to last year.

There was strong local buying support right through which helped auctioneer Mark Warren clear them all with the ewes selling to an average of $192 and the wethers at a $112 average.

Broken down the 1809 ewes sold for an average of $216, which was back $33 on last year's figure of $249 while the 985 4.5 and 5.5yo ewes averaged $148, back from $184 last year.

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Taking the $223 top price honours was the fourth line of 1.5yo ewes offered which came in from the paddocks of return vendors the Bell family, JA & KJ Bell, Corrigin.

The line of 205 August shorn, Claypans blood ewes were purchased by BD & AM Rick, Newdegate.

Along with buying the top-priced line the Ricks paid $211 for 72 August shorn, Claypans blood, 1.5yo ewes from NB & DL Talbot & Co, Corrigin.

Just one dollar behind the top price line and selling at the second top of $222 were 311 July shorn, Rutherglen blood, 1.5yo ewes offered by repeat vendors the Guinness family, AM & MA Guinness, Corrigin.

The line was purchased by Elders, Gnowangerup representative James Culleton, for a Borden client.

Along with this line, Mr Culleton bid the $218 third top price for 528 maiden ewes from the Hewett family, Chas Hewett & Co, Corrigin, to secure the line for a Gnowangerup client.

The line of 1.5yo ewes were July shorn and based on Claypans bloodlines.

There was one more line of 1.5yo ewes to make more than $200 in the offering and it was bought by Westcoast Wool & Livestock, York agent Mark Fairclough.

Mr Fairclough bid $214 for a big line of 500 July shorn, Ronern blood ewes from the Thomas family, RE Thomas & Co, Corrigin.

The best price in the three lines of proven matrons was $170 bid by Nutrien Livestock, Cunderdin representative Jake Finlayson, Livestock & Land, on behalf of an eastern Wheatbelt client.

Mr Finlayson was written down in the sheets at this value next to a line of 372 September shorn, Rutherglen blood, 4.5yo ewes offered by AM & MA Guinness.

There were two lines of 5.5yo ewes sold and both were purchased by Colorado Farms, Yealering.

It paid $137 for 263 August shorn, Claypans blood ewes from the Talbot family, NB & DL Talbot & Co and $133 for 350 September shorn, Kamballie blood ewes from BW & CM Nicholls, Corrigin.

The sale rounded out with two lines of wether lambs and the Thomas family achieved the highest price of $113 when their line of 534 May/June drop, August shorn, Ronern blood wethers sold to Nutrien Livestock stud and commercial sheep manager Tom Bowen.

The other line was offered by the Talbot family and purchased by Mr Miller at $110.

The line consisted of 430 April-drop, August shorn, Claypans blood wethers.

The two-day circuit sale was rounded out with the Wickepin leg of the fixture and it was here where the biggest offering of sheep was presented to buyers and the highest price of $248 for the two days was achieved.

The travelling entourage of Nutrien Livestock agents and buyers joined another good crowd of locals at the Wickepin saleyards to continue the solid market recorded at the sale's first two legs.

In the leg, Mr Miller with the support of regular vendors yarded 5782 well-bred and conditioned ewes and they sold for an overall average of $190.

Broken down, the yarding consisted of 2239 1.5yo ewes which sold to an average of $216, which was back from $238 last year, while the 3543 proven breeders ranging in age from 2.5 to 5.5yo averaged $174.

Topping the Wickepin leg and the sale overall at $248 was a large line of 468 March shorn, Eastville blood, 1.5yo ewes from the Hodgson family, Jefan Pty Ltd, Kulin, who also topped the sale last year.

The line was purchased by Don Thomson, Narrogin, who was bidding on behalf of a Boyup Brook prime lamb enterprise.

The next best price in the 1.5yo section was $222 bid by Nutrien Livestock, York agent Denis Warnick, for 106 August shorn, East Mundalla blood ewes from EI & SM Astbury, Harrismith.

Mr Warnick also bid the $221 third top price in the run for 252 September shorn, Rutherglen blood ewes from Ngaree Farm, Wickepin.

The Elson family, RJ & SM Elson, Yealering, who were dispersing their flock, achieved good rewards for their Rutherglen blood ewes.

They sold two lines of 1.5yo ewes, a draft of 345 July shorn ewes sold at $217 to Elders, Narrogin agent Paul Keppel, while a bigger line of 452 later September shorn ewes made $212, selling to Mitchell Braithwaite, Mt Barker, who was buying for BR & C Agents, Swan Hill, Victoria.

Also heading to Swan Hill were 294 August shorn, Eastville blood, 1.5yo ewes from Fleay & Fleay, Wickepin, when Mr Braithwaite had the final bid at $208.

The rest of the Elson family's dispersal consisted of 422 2.5yo ewes, 361 3.5yo ewes, 364 4.5yo ewes and 352 5.5yo ewes which were all September shorn.

Tony Douglass, AWN Livestock, Esperance, purchased the 2.5yo ewes and 3.5yo ewes at $217 and $230 respectively, while the line of 4.5yo ewes sold at $170 to Warrasyde Farms and the draft of 5.5yo ewes made $137 when they sold to Westcoast Wool & Livestock sheep manager Lincoln Gangell.

Along with the proven breeders sold by the Elson family there were a number of other vendors to offer ewes in the 3.5 to 5.5yo age bracket.

Erinbrook Estate, Wickepin, sold 292 September shorn, Nepowie blood, 3.5yo ewes for $218 to RA & JM Eckersley.

When it came to the 4.5yo lines Nutrien Livestock, Cunderdin representative Jake Finlayson, picked up one line at $172 consisting of 425 August shorn, Eastville blood ewes from Fleay & Fleay, while Mr Gangell bid to $167 for 335 Nepowie blood, September shorn ewes from Taarblin Farm, Toolibin.

The best return for 5.5yo ewes was $143 bid by Elders, Corrigin representative Steele Hathway, for an Elders Mt Barker account.

Mr Hathway went to this value for 293 September shorn ewes based on Ronern bloodlines from PL & JA Russell, Wickepin.

After selling younger ewes Ngaree Farms saw its line of 204 Rutherglen blood, September shorn, 5.5yo ewes sell at $140 to Warrasyde Farms.

Mr Gangell picked up the final two lines of 5.5yo ewes paying $138 for both which were September shorn.

The first was made up of 348 head based on Nepowie bloodlines from Taarblin Farm while the second consisted of 165 ewes bred from Eastville bloodlines from MG & B Green, Wickepin.