As well as confidence in the sheep meat sector, higher fine wool values are a spur to buyers, PGG Wrightson Otago area livestock manager Mark Yeates said.
It was excellent to have a big yarding at Omarama in a relatively good growing year. The last time the yarding was over 20,000 was during a drought season.
The strongest interest was in the heavier, top-quality lambs, a change from last year when there was plenty of feed in many areas and buyers were keen on the smaller, lighter lambs.
“Buyers were happy to spend their money on good lines.”
That was also the view of Peter Walsh and Associates Omarama agent Madison Taylor who said his firm’s top-lines averaged $20 a head more than last year but bottom cuts were $7 to $10 cheaper. Waitangi Station at Lake Aviemore secured $112 a head for top Merino wether lambs.
Most of this year’s crop were bought as stores, with buyers planning to shear them in spring for good wool income then finish them for processing. Prices averaged $5 to $13 up on last year’s sale.
A few good lines of Merino ewe lambs were bought for breeding.
In the Wrightson catalogue, Tara Hills Station at Omarama sold a pen of 257 Merino ewe lambs for $102 a head and Linnburn Station, Ranfurly, sold a good pen of 285 capital stock ewe lambs at $92 each.
Tara Hills sold a very good line of 155 Merino wether lambs at $105 and a second cut of 623 at $96, with a third line of 311 at $80.50.
Halfbreds had a strong market with the best wethers from Longslip Station at Omarama selling well, 76 at $103 and 153 at $98. Halfbred ewe lambs also did well, a top line from Twin Peaks Station at $97 and a second cut at $93.50.
Cairn Station from Twizel also had a top line of halfbred ewes, with the 144 best at $113 and next best 108 at $104.
Of 7500 terminal sired blackface Merinos the top 50 mixed-sex line from Longslip Station got $109, with 281 selling at $100 and a further 375 at $85. Totara Park sold 281 at $101 and 375 at $85.
A good pen of Texel-Merino from Twin Peaks sold at $92 and another at $82.50. Shirlmar Station, Lindis Pass, had 55 at $101, 281 at $91 and 301 at $88.
The Omarama sale attracted a big bench of buyers from Marlborough to Central Otago.
Some of the lighter lots at Tekapo sold at a better per/kg price than bigger ones from the same farm, PGG Wrightson South Canterbury livestock manager Joe Higgins said.
“It shows the strength of the pricing with over $100 for the top lambs and buyers deciding the levels where they wanted to be spending.”
About 11,800 lambs were offered.
Top Merino weather lambs from Wolds Station made $116, the second cut $105, the third cut $101 then the fourth cut came in at $102. The numbers had a part to play, with fewer lambs in that bracket, Higgins said.
Streamlands Station Merino weather lambs fetched $94 for the top pen but the second cut went better at $96. The third cut made $83.
Guide Hill Station at Lake Pukaki sold the tops for $98, the seconds $94, the third $84 and fourth cut $55. Sawdon Station at Tekapo was $100 for the tops, then $94 and $70.
Ewe lambs also sold very well, ahead of expectations, for breeding. This included The Wolds selling 135 Merinos at $99 and 443 for $85.
