The Nutrien WA Maternal Ewe Sale was held online for the second consecutive year on Thursday 27th October, with the strong sale results highlighting the continued demand for top quality maternal ewes.
The sale average lifted $105 on last year, as more and more producers look to maximise prime lamb production and minimise shearing and management requirements.
Held as on online only auction via AuctionsPlus, the sale saw 5,790 head offered across 30 lots. Strong local competition, spurred along by interstate bidders saw 144 users log in, with 32 active bidders placing over 2,200 bids, resulting in a 95% clearance rate – up from the 81% last year. Sale organiser Roy Addis, Nutrien WA Livestock Breeding Representative, stated that “using the online platform to hold a sale like this allows buyers and sellers from all over the state to participate”. “To be able to work with the AuctionsPlus platform to hold a sale like this is remarkable, it could not have happened if we put the sheep into one regional yard. We’re dealing with vendors all over the state from Esperance to Geraldton, so allowing them to all participate in one auction rather than having to travel to one region was a huge success”.
The agents offered a total of 2,074 UltraWhite ewes, selling to an average of $523/head. The breed also secured the top price of $590/head, with a line of 100 future breeder ewe lambs, Mar/Apr 22’ drop, weighing 46kg lwt from Popanyinning, WA. Strong interstate demand resulted in two lines of UltraWhite future breeder ewe hoggets, weighing an average of 64kg lwt, from Pingelly sell for $582 and $584/head to a buyer in South Australia.
The 749 Dorper ewes sold to an average of $184/head – topping at $192 for a line of 207 future breeder ewe lambs, weighing 42kg lwt from Northampton, WA.
UltraWhite/Dorper and White Dorper lines offered from Wickepin also sold to strong demand, with a line of 154 UltraWhite/White Dorper ewes, aged 5.5 years-old, weighing 63kg lwt and returning $254/head. A line of 267 UltraWhite/Dorper ewes, aged 5.5 years old, weighing 63kg lwt returned $250/head.
Other sale highlights included two lines of 250 future breeder UltraWhite cross Kojac/UltraWhite ewe lambs, weighing 43kg lwt, from Spencers Brook return $454 and $450/head, respectively.