Surging composite ewe demand drives $1.8 million Cashmore Oaklea auction
Surging demand for composite ewes drove a massive $1.8 million gross at Cashmore Oaklea's November sale, where more than 5000 sheep went under the hammer.
Seven vendors sold 4000 composite maternal ewes and more than 1000 Nudie ewes at the November sale for an average of $336 and $280, respectively.
The maternal composites sold to a top price of $386 a head.
Oaklea Trust, Mount Gambier SA, sold two lots in the multi-vendor sale, including 1130 composite ewe lambs that averaged $364 and 500 mature five-year-old ewes which averaged $322.
Oaklea Trust owner Alex Lyon said the result far exceeded expectations, cementing the composite maternal's dominant position in the sheep industry.
"We actually ended up getting $90 above meat value for our ewe lambs, so we were over the moon with that," Mr Lyon said.
"It's really reflective of where the market is at the moment.
"Our genetics are pretty much matching with where the market is at the moment with high growth rates and really high fertility."
Pegler Pastoral, Thornlea SA, sold 1400 composite ewes for an average of $355, which is a jump of more than $100 compared to the family's result last year.
Having run Oaklea genetics across his 4000-ewe flock for nearly two decades, Tom Pegler, Pegler Pastoral, said the standout result reflected surging producer confidence in composite performance.
"People are looking for them because they are changing tactics I think," Mr Pegler said.
"Their fertility and doing ability is what they are bred for, that's one of the best things about them.
"The maternal instinct on them is strong, they still perform in pretty tough environments."
Auld Ana Family Trust, Kalangadoo SA, purchased 200 ewe lambs for $374 to restock an aging portion of their otherwise self-replacing flock.
They returned to a composite flock about five years ago, utilising Oaklea genetics to build their 3000-ewe base.
"They are good sheep, they are tough, they can handle it when it gets wet and when it gets dry, they always get a lamb up and are always in pretty good condition," Aiden Auld, Auld Ana Family Trust, said.
