The first sheep market of the 2025 selling season was held in Jamestown on February 20, with about 21,000 head offered.
Detailed in its market report, Nutrien Livestock yarded 15,300 head, and yarded a large consignment of backgrounded, wether, ewe and crossbred lambs from CC Cooper and Co, totalling nearly 9400.
Nutrien reports these lines of lambs brought strong competition from restockers and the trade, with tops averaging 49.1 kilograms live, reaching up to $168. Indeed 2024 drop weather lamb tops went for between $130 to $168, while 2024 drop ewe lambs went for $108 to $166.
Second runs ewe lambs went for $55 to $90, while wether lambs reached from $70 to $114. Tops for 2023 drop ewe hoggets, weighing between 30-48 kilograms went from $50 to $90.
Breeding sheep saw lesser demand throughout the sale, bought by trade and restockers. Heavier weighted ewes made $110 to $146, with seconds going for $70 to $100.
Crossbred lambs tops, weighing 29-50kg, went from $95 to $155 with seconds going for $52 to $88. Processors were active throughout the sale, competing on heavy weighted lambs, hoggets and ewes.
CC Cooper and Co were among the top vendors for the sale, offering a line of 678 merino wether lambs (June/July 2024 drop, January shorn) which went for $168, as well as a line of 266 merino ewe lambs (April/May 2024 drop, January shorn) which went for $166 and 596 crossbred lambs (October/November 2024 drop, January shorn) for $155.
Other top vendors included JS and SL Redden, offering 86 dohne wether lambs (July/August 2024 drop, January shorn) for $151, DW and DM Williams offered 267 merino ewes (May/June 2020 drop, October shorn) for $146, NV and EJ Byerlee with 193 merino ewes (September/October 2020 drop, January shorn) for $126 and Brooks Rockwood with 71 crossbred lambs (August/September 2024 drop, unshorn) for $145.
Sheep at the sale were presented from the West Coast, Northern Pastoral districts and local areas, with buyers attending from Yorke Peninsula, Upper and Lower South East and Port Augusta as well as local buyers. Bidding was also active on Auctions Plus with multiple lines bought successfully online.
Trade was represented by TFI and Fletchers. Nutrien Livestock has thanked everyone for their continued support, and is hoping to see plenty of buyers attend the next sale on March 20.
