Soggy conditions experienced during the Edenhope first-cross wether lamb sale failed to deter the market’s repeat processor, feeder and backgrounder bidders on Thursday.
The heavy downpour, which dumped 45 millimetres of rain before and during the 5300-head sale, made conditions uncomfortable but bareable underfoot according to the sale’s selling agency, Rodwells of Edenhope.
The market top of $152 a head was yet again achieved by McKenzie & Dearden with an August-shorn pen of 105 Border Leicester Merino-cross, estimated to weigh 25kg carcase weight.
SA exporter, Thomas Foods was the sole processor buyer to purchase on the day. The order claimed 960 head for processing at its Murray Bridge plant while Landmark Ballarat put together more than 2000 head for repeat buyers Warinella Farms to lotfed at its stawell feedlot.
Store orders shared between Rodwells Horsham branch and DMD Horsham absorbed the remainder of the yarding which saw store and feeder lambs priced from $77 to $136 a head with a number of other Wimmera restockers going home empty handed.
Due to the lack of interest to offload further stock, this wether lamb sale will be the last conducted at Edenhope for 2017 spring selling season
- David Hanel, Rodwells, Edenhope
Other successful vendor sales included the West family’s Westwood BLM-cross lambs. They sold 345 head as the led of their October-shorn lambs at $145 while WD, RG & NW Robinson sold their first-draft of 360 lambs at $143 and BJ & TM Turner sold 85 lambs at $140.
TW & JM Colliver also enjoyed a strong result. They cleared at $136 a pen of 231 wether lambs, J & KA Futerieal sold 50 lambs at $131 while GN Gray sold 106 lambs at $127.
WH Kealy & Sons sold at $126 a pen of 138 wether lambs, JS & EM Staude sold 148 lambs at $124 while Mt Yulong sold 210 lambs at $120, and Pembroke Pastoral, 187 head at $110.50.
Rodwells Edenhope manager, David Hanel said the 2017 yarding overall averaged $123 a head, which was $7 a head up on its 2016 prices. “However due to the abundant local season and a lack of interest to off-load further stock this wether lamb sale will be the last conducted at Edenhope for 2017 spring selling season”.
“This will see the cancellation of Edenhope’s annual December sale” Mr Hanel said.
“Our season in the immediate area is two to three weeks later than normal, and as a result the majority of the spring-drop lambs have retained their freshness and wont require shearing”.