Report guide: Hay store sheep sale

Young Merinos sold to strong demand at the Hay store sheep sale. See all the prices and our expert analysis.

Young Merino ewes sold to $440 at Hay today in a sale that showed buyers were prepared to pay better than anticipated money for quality replacement breeders.

After a slow opening, the sale gathered pace and it was the price results of the second and third runs of ewes at $340 to $380 that had many in the crowd declaring it a very strong result, even “exceptional’’.

“It has certainly been a bit dearer than I was expecting,’’ said NSW lamb producer Robert Roberson of Barellan who ending up paying $372 for his shorn 1.5-year-olds.

“I thought $350 would be the finishing point not the starting point (for bidding),’’ he said. And when pushed for some thoughts as to why the sale was performing so well he mused: “People seem to have got use to paying this sort of money now.’’

This sale a year ago did post a record of $512 for the Yarto ewes bred by Greg and Helen Rogers of Booligal. They topped the sale again this year at $440 after two specialist first-cross ewe breeders – the Allan’s from Mathoura and Bill Bott from Corowa – clashed for the pen. The ewes eventually were knocked to the Allan’s, repeat buyers who had paid the record money last September.

These late drop Yarto Merino ewes, September/October 2021 drop, sold for $364. Their older May/June drop sisters had topped the sale earlier in the auction at $440. Picture: Jenny Kelly

Only a few pens of Merino ewes sold above $400, including the Tchelery’s at an average of 70kg liveweight which were the heaviest 1.5-year-olds in the yarding and sold for $405 to Griffith agent Mark Flagg for another specialist first-cross ewe breeder.

The weight in the yarding of young ewes was impressive, and quality and condition didn’t fade-off like it has in other years. It was a key factor in why the sale had such price consistency and stuck above $300 per head across the majority of the yarding.

It was remarked upon by Merino breeder Graeme Morphett, Alma Merinos, as he followed the market.

“The first pen made $370 and here we are well into the second runs and we are still getting $370,’’ he said: “But then if you stand-back and look across the yarding all these ewes look about the same (for size and finish).

“It has been an exceptional sale really.’’

The Alma ewes sold to $402 at 68.5kg, with the second draft weighing 61kg then making 61kg.