Although 10-15 millimetres of patchy rain fell over the northwest of Victoria before the Wycheproof Associated Agents special store sheep sale Thursday, the market took another disappointing turn for the worst.
With most of the advertised 8000 head penned, the vast majority of the pregnant ewes offered were cleared to the meat processing trade, terminating the ability of 2800 head to deliver their unborn lambs into the spring.
In view of this huge haul by the processing trade, the market for better quality and full-woolled lines were $10-$15/head easier than previous district rates, while secondary or shorter-skinned lines fetched firm to easier values.
Scanned-in-lamb crossbred ewes, 1.5 years, topped the sale making to $106, while bids of $70.50 sold two pens of full-woolled joined Merino - all of these fortunately escaping the knife.
Restocker interest was generally extremely poor with little or no southern support evident, while western division NSW secured some lines after falls of 40-50mm provided opportunities for some flock rebuilding in an area south and east of Broken Hill.
Email a friend