sheep Forbes walks Bubbles to state title

FORBES Kirk has taken out the junior handler’s title at the Victorian Sheep Show.

The Berrimal youngster chose a 12-month-old ram he named Bubbles from the Merino flock of his parent’s Longdale Park Stud to take into the judging ring.

“We are always encouraging the children to be involved,” said mother Nicola.

Longdale also brought home the champion medium wool March shorn Merino with less than two permanent teeth.

The McGauchie’s Terrick West Stud was also in the major prizes at the weekend’s show in Ballarat.

Terrick West won champion strong wool ram of the show and reserve champion strong wool ewe of the show, champion fine wool March shorn ewe and reserve champion medium wool August shorn poll ram.

The supreme exhibit was taken out by Loddon Valley Merino Association member Tamaleuca Stud from Ouyen.

Among judges at the weekend was Willera Merino’s Simon Coutts.

Many Loddon studs will be entering their top shop in next month’s Australian Sheep and Wool Show, vying for honours with studs from every state.

MONDAY’S Bendigo yarding of 4300 lambs and 1700 sheep was the smallest for some time after a number of lots couldn’t be transported due to the wet weather.

It wasn’t a pretty market in terms of quality, demand or price. Each agency only had a limited run of good fed lambs before it became like a winter clean-up yarding. At least three processors didn’t operate and demand was weak and erratic.

Prices were cheaper, particularly when one export company had to sit out of the auction.

Heavy export lambs were in limited numbers at $173 to a top of $192 for an estimated 33kg cwt, these lambs costing a ballpark 550c/kg cwt.

Heavy lambs 26-30kg cwt bounced around from $137 to $190, while the better presented medium and heavy trade lambs ranged from $110 to $150/head.

Secondary trade and light lambs mostly $30 to $100/head. In carcass price terms the range to processors was very wide, starting below 300c/kg for light MK bag style lambs to between 400c to just over 600c for the best heavy trades.

As a guide the bulk of the processing lambs from 21-30kg averaged between 500c to 560c/kg cwt.

There was little restocking activity, due in part to the stock not suiting paddock orders.

The sheep sale was also cheaper and had the same erratic trend and wide carcass price spread as lamb.

Some extra large crossbred ewes to $129, general run of sheep $50 to $90. A lot of mutton categories averaged under 300c/kg cwt, although there was individual pens that went over 400c at times.