WET conditions through autumn and winter may test sheep genetics for wool whiteness this season, according to Narrogin woolbroker Stephen 'Squizzy' Squire.

But most woolgrowers should have good yields with heavier cut and low vegetable matter (VM) contamination, said Mr Squire who is a wool auctioneer and broker for Australian Wool Network (AWN) which this month celebrates the anniversary of its first wool catalogue under its own name at the Western Wool Centre (WWC).

"I reckon the wool this season may test genetics for whiteness," Mr Squire said last week.

"Generally in wet years is when the body faults come out and you might get a bit of yellow or light colour, even 'dermo' ('lumpy wool' or mycotic dermatitis) later on maybe," he said.

"I always reckon (a wet year) is a good year to go through and class your hoggets because if any faults are going to show up, they'll show up this year.

"I'ld expect higher yields and lower VM, but it will be a test of genetics too to see where the micron ends up.

"They've (sheep flocks) had green feed for nearly six months and the six months prior to that wasn't too bad - sheep were in good nick over summer - so I'd expect fleece weights to be improved, which will compensate for a few less numbers.

"I haven't seen too many scouring sheep just yet and I think there's more uptake on long-term drenches and some good management - but there's a lot of cape weed out there which is pretty horrible.

"But whatever the problems the wet brings - some of the cropping boys are talking 15 per cent of crops mightn't do too much because they're waterlogged and some are a bit worried about root penetration - everyone agrees the stock water problem is fixed.

"I had one client tell me last week - he's probably over the top of it now - that he was 17 millimetres away from having as much rain so far this year as in the past two years put together."

But a lack of sunshine and warmth to dry out paddocks and get crops and pasture growing could ironically see some sheep sold off, Mr Squire said.

"Because it's just been so wet and cold, feed hasn't grown.

"Even in Kojonup guys are commenting that there's a few starting to feed out to a few mobs because while it's pool-table green, the sheep are eating right on top of it - it needs a few days of sunshine and a bit of dry."

A need to generate cash flow to pay for extra fertiliser to replace what has been leached away may also result in sell downs, he pointed out.

"If the wether lamb market stays strong and they (woolgrowers) are getting $100-$130 for them straight off mum, then it's pretty good cash flow," Mr Squire said.

Formally operating out of Albany, Mr Squire and his wife Jacqui have recently moved to Narrogin and joined AWN livestock agent Brian Barnsby, who is a long-time Narrogin resident, using that town as a base.

"My area covers all of the Great Southern (and southern Wheatbelt) so Narrogin is more centrally located, it's more strategic than Albany, closer to the wool centre for auctioneering and a good spot to expand AWN's footprint from," Mr Squire said.

"The town has been nothing but welcoming - it's a very friendly community - and Jacqui (a hairdresser) is already working for the Cactus Hare salon in Narrogin.

"We both think it's a good spot on the compass to operate from."

p Live wool auctions were set to resume at the WWC this week after the annual three-week winter recess.

A total of 9228 bales were listed for auction - a similar number to the last WWC sale before the recess, but about 2000 bales shy of WWC offerings in the two weeks prior to that.

The national offering has blown out to 53,627 bales, which is more bales than has been offered across the three Australian Wool Exchange live auction centres in more than a year and possibly the most wool offered in any week since before the COVID-19 pandemic.