The Paull & Scollard Nutrien Ag team led by auctioneer Tim Robinson takes bids on L. Clifton and Sons’ 208 first cross ewes at Corowa.

BIDDERS at Corowa’s First Cross Breeders Ewe Sale yesterday had to think quickly on their feet when the first 1400 head of the 8000 head offering were cleared with two falls of the hammer.

In a sale that openly promoted buying unrestricted runs, the hungry appetite of two significant orders, each claiming lines of 791 and 600 ewes prices exceeding $400, created a sense of unexpected urgency among potential buyers.

Repeat buyer grabs quality Bott ewes for $410

First to test the water on the AuctionsPlus interfaced sale was an annual draft of ewes bred and prepared by Bill and David Bott, ‘Emu Park’, Coreen.

Celebrating his 50th annual draft of his highly regarded number 6-branded Emu Park ewes at Corowa, Coreen breeder Bill Bott, was surprised his first yard of 791 sold in one fall of the hammer for $410.

The 791 March-April 2019 drop ewes out of large-framed Alma blood Merino ewes by Tulagi Border Leicester rams and assessed as weighing 76.9kg liveweight was snapped up by an online bid of $410 from perennial repeat buyer, BRC Agents Swan Hill for the Redfern family of Moulamein and Daryl Spinks from Kyalite.

The $324,310-deal was hailed as Corowa saleyards record; however, this price was quickly eclipsed when an on-site bid of $418 by Nutrien Ag-South Gippsland Livestock from Leongatha for 600 July-August 2019 drop ewes out a 787-head line from C.P. Harper at ‘Taravale’, Ariah Park. The ex-Riverina bred ewes by Cadell BL rams were assessed as weighing 85kg. The remaining balance of 187 was re-offered and sold with an on-site bid of $400 from Rodwells, Euroa.

Spurred by the strong and unexpected fierce opening to the sale, ensuing lines all sold for better than $400, in an amazing vote of confidence in the prime lamb industry. These included Rebbur P/L, Balldale – 140 head sold at $396, L. Clifton & Sons, Coreen, 208, sold at $410, DG McFarlane P/L, Daysdale- 200 at $411 and 100 at $400 and a September drop line of 140 Greg Doyle’s Inglemar, Walbundrie ($412).

Watch Murray Arnel’s video of the opening block of sales:

https://www.facebook.com/SheepCentral/videos/876877136388435/

A very humble Greg Doyle said he was over the moon with the results of his sales that overall averaged $400 across a draft of 200.

“It was a very strong sale across the board, and I’m extremely grateful,” he said.

“But the truth is that most of these proceeds will now be reinvested buying replacement ewes and sourcing rams.”

Corowa Associated Stock Agents president, Clynton Rixon, said the number of sales that cracked the $400 mark exceeded expectations.

“As agents, we had hoped some sales might (exceed $400) but for so many to do so was unexpected,” he told Sheep Central after the sale.

And the depth of the sale also exceeded expectations, he said, as prices didn’t fall away much, with only a handful of sales in the 6000 head of 1-1.5 year-old ewes finalised at less than $350 a head.

See Mr Rixon’s interview with Sheep Central https://www.facebook.com/SheepCentral/videos/356087982374898/

Walbundrie breeder Greg Doyle, left, with agent David Hill, David Hill Livestock, sold Spring drop ewe lambs to $412 at Corowa.

Strong demand also flowed to a 2000 head penning of 2020-drop ewe lambs that were mostly presented off-shears.

The leading sale of ewe lambs was a line of 154 March-April drop lambs offered by J.W. Boyd, Brocklesby, and sold to Corcoran Parker, Mansfield, for an eye-watering $365. The ex-Riverina blood ewes by Elarada BL rams were assessed as weighing 49kg. A pen of 142 April-May drop ewe lambs weighing 50.4kg from J.R. Bruce, Barooga, sold for $354, and a second pen of 217 Bruce ewes weighing 45.4kg made $302.

Remaining lines of off-shears ewe lambs that were assessed as weighing 38-45kg made $245 to $280. A single yard of unshorn lambs was passed in.

Bidders travelled from Hamilton, Ballarat, Deniliquin and Wagga Wagga to the sale and local area support from both sides of the borders proved invaluable.