Freezing rain the night before didn’t stop producers from adventuring out for the Nov. 15 Winnipeg Livestock Auction sheep and goat sale.
Farmers delivered 178 animals to this sale, and were greeted with bidding that was not as strong as they’d become accustomed to this past summer and fall.
Ewes were mainly represented by wool animals this sale. Age, quality and formation were factors of major concern for the buyers and bidding was muted.
No rams were delivered.
There were three 127-pound Dorset cross lambs for the heavyweight class, bringing $1.57/lb.
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The bidding on market lambs could not maintain the high prices from the fall sale, and prices had dropped from the last sale. Six 95-pound Rideau cross lambs brought $1.93/lb. Five 106-pound Suffolk cross lambs brought $1.93/lb. Sixteen 106-pound Dorset cross lambs brought $1.73/lb.
There was an attempt to hold the strong prices on feeder lambs but the buyers were exercising their choice and preferences. Nine 86-pound Dorper cross lambs brought $1.98/lb. Thirty-nine 88-pound Cheviot cross lambs brought $1.89/lb.
In the 70+ pound classification, the wool lambs brought much higher bidding, at this sale. Two 75-pound Dorper cross lambs brought $1.50/lb. A group of Rideau cross lambs brought $1.97/lb. and another group of wool lambs brought $2.04/lb.
Dorper cross lambs represented the 60+ pound classification. One group of Dorper cross lambs brought $1.85/lb. and the other group brought $2.02/lb.
Once again, hair lambs could not reach the high prices of the wool lambs in the 50+ pound classification. A group of Dorper cross lambs brought $1.75/lb. A group of Cheviot cross lambs brought $2.14/lb.
The 40+ pound lambs had a major bidding differences. A group of Dorper cross lambs brought $0.75/lb. while a group of wool lambs brought $1.85/lb.
A group of Alpine cross goat does and a La Mancha cross goat doe kicked off the goat sale entering the ring in high spirits, possibly reflecting limited human contact, but their structure had quality. These 130-pound goat does brought $1.04/lb. Two 130-pound Boer cross goat does brought $0.96/lb. A group of ten 103-pound Boer cross goat doelings entered the arena, causing the buyers immediately to start bidding for these uniform quality goats. These goat doelings would have be excellent to start a herd or increase an existing herd.
No goat bucks were delivered.
The demand and limited supply of goat kids generally brought high prices. However, the prices have dropped from the past sales. The holiday season bidding is not following the usual patterns for the goat kid prices.
