A top price of $132 was made on ewe lambs despite a lack of buyers present at the Jamestown market which yarded over 7000 sheep today.
Elders auctioneer Simon Harding said the market had the smallest buying field he had seen in Jamestown for 30 years.
"Overall the sale was a lot softer mainly for the ewe section and unmated ewes were definitely a lot softer - they could have been $20-$30 cheaper," he said.
"Unmated ewes were virtually slaughter price.
"The best wether the lambs sold equal to the last Jamestown market and we're very good."
Fetching $132 from Elders Clare, was a pen of 133 July/August 2022-drop, January shorn, Baderloo-blood, running with a White Suffolk ram, offered by AP&GA Moore, Caltowie, while a second line, a year older from the same vendor made $102 to Nutrien, Melrose.
Complete dispersal offered by CH Sanders, Booleroo Centre, sold 192 August/September 2022-drop, August shorn, Gum Hill-bld ewes at $100 to Elders Jamestown, while a second line sold at $66 to Nutrien Jamestown, for 170 August/September-2021-drop ewes.
DA&SC Keatley, Appila, sold 157 June/July 2020-drop, February-shorn, East Bungaree-bld ewes at $102 to Elders Burra, while a second line of 106, 2019-drop, from the same vendor, made $96 to Elders Burra.
In the wether line-up $96 was reached for 132 July/August-drop, January shorn, Baderloo-bld offered by LR&GI Adams, Caltowie, to Nutrien Jamestown, while a second pen of 41 from the same vendor sold at $76 to Elders Burra.
RJ&EJ Lang, sold 58 April/May, February-shorn, Bradfield-blds at $87 to Elders Jamestown, while AL&JC Woolford, Wilmington, sold 236 May/June, wooly, Hamilton Run-bld wethers at $86 to Spence Dix&Co2.
Nutrien Jamestown's Shannon Jaeschke said over two thirds of the yarding were breeding stock from three or four flock dispersals or reductions.
"From a buying point of view, it created a lot of opportunities for potential buyers to source classed in breeders from those producers that have supplied their sheep here today," he said.
"We had a very small yarding of lambs and very little quality of lamb on the top edge, so a lot more lighter and plainer secondary style lambs being yarded here today.
"There was only two or three lots of better types of lambs that could go into that feedlot environment which that job is probably firm on the previous sale if not just a few dollars dearer due to less lots they could compete on.
"Breeding sheep wise, you could say the job was certainly softer than previous sale."
The next Jamestown market will be April 18 subject to market numbers.