Ewes highlight of special sale

Ewe demand was huge at the Primaries and Westcoast Livestock special sale at Katanning last week where $86/head was top.

Not a single line was passed in as graziers and their reps competed strongly for the beautifully presented ewes.

"It was an excellent result, given the current trade and export markets," Primaries livestock manager Peter Sheridan said.

"The sale result was above expectations with strong support throughout the sale and I wish to commend the vendors for the excellent presentation of their sheep."

Westcoast Livestock auctioneer Chris Hartley agreed.

"It was above expectations, with grazier competition widespread on the well-presented ewes. Good quality ewes continue to attract premiums from leading prime lamb and Merino producers," he said.

The $86/head was paid for 540 1.5-year-old Gumhill blood February-shorn ewes consigned by PG & RM Hickey of Narembeen.

The buyer was Primaries Mt Barker rep Mitch Braithwaite, who purchased the ewes on behalf of MA & PK Wood, of Kojaneerup.

Mr Braithwaite said they would be joined to prime lamb sires.

The Hickeys also consigned another line of 173 young ewes, which were bought by Murray French, of Westcoast Livestock Albany, on behalf of JM Hebb & Co, of McAlinden. These fetched $79/head and were among 752 ewes he bought for the Hebbs from the Westcoast Livestock offering.

Mr French was the volume buyer at the sale - he also bought 400 ewes for the Hebbs from the Primaries offering, saying that ewes were bought in for his client to put Poll Dorsets over them.

Primaries sold first, with auctioneer Jeff Lynn on the rail.

Top price in the Primaries offering was $78.50/head, paid for 298 1.5-year-old September-shorn ewes, consigned by Woodstock Grazing of Newdegate and bought by Westcoast Livestock Manjimup's Brad Kamman on behalf of DM & JM Hallett, of Winnejup, via Bridgetown.

Another 184 young Woodstock Grazing ewes were bought at $70.50/head for the Halletts, plus a smaller line of 97 at $65.50/head, also for the Halletts.

The second-top price in the Primaries offering was $77/head, paid for 199 young August-shorn Keetlen Valley blood ewes consigned by RG & KR Newman, of Newdegate.

These were bought by Landmark Mt Barker's Charlie Staite on behalf of JC Young.

In the Westcoast Livestock offering the second-top price was $81.50/head, paid for 165 young ewes consigned by Mianelup Grazing Co. Gnowangerup, and bought by Primaries, account Nicholls.

Landmark Ravensthorpe paid $79.50/head for 229 1.5-year-old Prime Samm-cross ewes sent in by RBY Mouritz & Co, of Hyden.

The same price was paid for 65 young September-shorn Strath Haddon blood ewes consigned by GS & KR Bowron, of Pingaring.

These ewes - which had wool measurements of 19 micron and 69-70 per cent yield - were bought by Primaries.