PRICES eased $8 to $10 at today's special spring store sheep sale of about 16,000 head at Wycheproof.
Elders Wycheproof livestock manager Jim Coffey said most classes of sheep sold at prices lower than the previous sale in September.
''Considering the fact that wool has absolutely dropped away, mutton sheep have come off the top, lambs have come off the top (and) the seasonal conditions have been deteriorating daily, I thought to get rid of 16,000 sheep at the prices we did was a colossal effort,'' he said.
The top price of $128 was paid for 201 June-July 2007-drop unjoined first-cross ewes from KY Pastoral Company, at Wilcur, which sold to a client of Elders Pyramid Hill.
The sole offering of ewes and lambs - 91 3 1/2 year old Border Leicester-Merino cross ewes, September shorn with 101 Poll Dorset-cross lambs - made $88 for the McCalman family.
Unjoined first-cross ewes sold at prices between $76 and $128, first-cross ewe lambs made $67 to $72 and store lambs fetched $47 to $70.50.
Unjoined 2007-drop Merino ewes made $50 to $81, older ewes $36-$82, ewe lambs $33-$53 and wethers $18.50-$47.50.
Mr Coffey said he expected a similar number of sheep would be offered at the next sale, scheduled for November 28.
Buyers came from Ararat, Ballarat, Bendigo, Charlton, Culgoa, Edenhope, Hopetoun, Horsham, Kaniva, Kerang, Mt Gambier, Nhill, Pyramid Hill, Rainbow, Rochester, St Arnaud, Swan Hill, Warracknabeal and Wycheproof.
