Katanning ewes to $100/head

More than 23,000 sheep were on offer at last Friday's Katanning Special Ewe Sale, held at the town's saleyards.

In two-and-a-half hours, sheep were snapped up by a variety of buyers from across the State.

Agents Landmark, Westcoast Livestock and Primaries conducted the sale, in which prices ranged from $40 per head to a overall top price of $100.50/head.

Landmark, which offered a total of 6007 ewes to an average of $68.80/head, achieved the sale top price of $100.50/head for 430 two-year-old, July-shorn Willemenup-blood Merino ewes.

The ewes were bred by Allawah Grazing Co and purchased by L and J Clements, of Quairading.

Westcoast Livestock offered a total of 5976 ewes, which sold to an average price of $58.59/head.

Account AH Chisholm & Co offered Westcoast's $76.50/head top-price pen of 275 one-and-a-half-year-old, August-shorn Lewisdale-blood Merino ewes.

They were purchased by Primaries Mount Barker on behalf of an undisclosed buyer.

Westcoast agent Mick Creagh said although sales were not exactly as expected, both sellers and buyers were still pleased to meet the market. "It possibly points to too many sheep and not enough buyers," he said.

Primaries offered a total of 11,155 ewes, selling to an average price of $60.40/head. Account AT & RJ Sugg achieved $94.50/head for a line of 511 one-and-a-half-year-old, July-shorn Woodyarrup Merino ewes, which were bought by Hargate Park of Esperance.

Primaries State livestock manager Peter Sheridan said the top lines sold extremely well, as did the medium-priced ewes.

"It was a good sale of top-end sheep … most of the yarding was of good quality, right through to the medium-priced animals," he said.

This was the last special ewe sale to be held in October at the old saleyards. Next year's sale will be held at the newly-built Katanning saleyards, which will open early in the new year.