Merino ewes topped at $126 for a pen of 2007-drop large-framed, July-shorn ewes, offered by Rick and Sophie Lang, Charlton, who had a part dispersal of their Old Cobran-blood flock. The best of their ‘06-drop ewes made to $120 and their ‘05-drop ewes made to $107.

Other ewes trading near the top of the market included a line of 172 Concordia-blood, May/June ‘08-drop ewes, September shorn, sold by St and JJ Verley, Boort, for $119.

Another line of Concordia-blood ewes, August-shorn, offered by Bruce Weaver and Company, Boort, made $116.

The larger-framed better Merino ewes generally made $100 plus with smaller and older ewes trading mainly for $85-$95.

Stock & Land market analyst Murray Arnel said notably absent in the associated agents’ sale were the usual offering of crossbred ewe lambs, with most breeders having joined later and only likely to have their '09-drop ewe lambs ready for the December sale.

Among the few pens of crossbred sheep to be offered were a pen of 145 Border Leicester-Merino ’08-drop ewes lambs from the Hooper family from west of Warracknabeal that made $156.

* More details to come in Stock & Land, October 22, newspaper edition.