RECENT wet weather caused the total yarding at this week's Warwick sheep sale to drop to just 364 head, however prices rose as a result.
The yarding was down from 1235 at the previous week's sale, but the young lamb category benefitted the most as the average price rose from $143 a head to $175/hd.
The category made up the majority of the yarding with 192 head up for bids and prices ranged from a $20 low to a $216 top.
Old lambs were the next biggest category as the 63 on offer were snapped for an average of $203, which was well up from the previous week's average of $161.
Most pens sold from about $140 to a sale-high $240.
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Ewes proved to be a real highlight of Wednesday's sale with the 57 on offer ranging in price from $69 to a top of $140 to average about $100.
Warwick stock agent Ben Johnstone, Ray White Livestock, said a draft of older Dorper ewes turned heads at the sale as two pens sold for $225 to a restocker while a third pen was snapped up by wholesalers for $200.
"The market was a lot stronger," Mr Johnstone told the Queensland Country Life.
"Recent rain prevented a lot of people from bringing their sheep to the yards, but it was a lot stronger than last week despite the limited yarding.
"I think a big factor in that was the high quality of a lot of the sheep that were there, especially that run of Dorper ewes, they were top quality."
Hoggets continued the upward trend of Wednesday's sale with the 38 on offer being highly sought after by metropolitan butchers, which sent prices from $125 to a $218 top to average about $150, which was up from about $115 last week.
It was a similar story in the wether category, which only consisted of 10 head, as butchers snapped up the limited offering for $124 each.
"Some of the usual export buyers and processors weren't in attendance, but some butchers looking to stock up ahead of big events in the city helped make up for it," Mr Johnstone said.
"As well as that, there was also increased competition from local restockers, which also helped prices strengthen from the previous week.
"Hopefully some drier weather in the coming few days should allow some people to get their sheep out of the paddock and into the market for next week's sale."
A small penning of four rams rounded out Wednesday's sale selling from $212 to a top of $230 and averaging about $216.
Billy Jupp
Billy is a Senior Livestock Journalist for the Queensland Country Life based in Toowoomba. He has worked for a variety of different ACM mastheads during the past five years including the Namoi Valley Independent, Northern Daily Leader and The Land.
Billy is a Senior Livestock Journalist for the Queensland Country Life based in Toowoomba. He has worked for a variety of different ACM mastheads during the past five years including the Namoi Valley Independent, Northern Daily Leader and The Land.
