2021 on track to surpass 2020s record listings

Since AuctionsPlus first article for the White Suffolk society newsletter in June 2021, listings for the breed on AuctionsPlus have continued to increase. Listings for June to September 2021 have increased 12% on the same period in 2020, totaling 150,693 head. Over this four-month period listings have been dominated by new season lambs, with 64,683 head listed in September alone.

Looking at yearly listings, 2020 remains the highest yearly throughput, with the annual total hitting 437,603 head. Year-to-date listings for 2021 has seen 332,824 head offered online, the second highest yearly listing for the breed since 2016. Looking into the last three months of 2020, 67,000 head was offered, comprising of 17% of the yearly throughput - if the same trend is to occur this year, 2021 is shaping up to be the largest yearly offerings of White Suffolk’s since 2016 on AuctionsPlus.

Reviewing the last four months of prices on AuctionsPlus, averages have fluctuated on a month-to-month basis. The largest falls were registered in August, with second cross ewe prices declining 34% year-on-year, to average $204/head. First cross offerings continue to dominate White Suffolk throughput, with prices for both first cross ewes and first cross SIL ewes peaking in July, averaging $227 and $273/head respectively.

Every year the onset of spring has large numbers of store lambs offered online, typically peaking in September. In 2020, store lamb offerings peaked later than normal, with October, November and December all surpassing Septembers supply. White Suffolk store lambs registered 109,229 head listed for the Jun-Sep 21’ period, the highest listings for the four-month span since 2016. September represented most listings, with 54,000 head offered, while prices for the category remained strong throughout the period, peaking at $165/head in September.

The spring selling season traditionally sees a large portion of White Suffolk studs hold their annual sales, with many utilizing the AuctionsPlus platform to allow online buying. Studs utilizing AuctionsPlus have the ability to hold an online only or interfaced sale. The majority of this season’s sales utilized the interfaced system, with AuctionsPlus present at the physical sale, allowing those who could not attend the ability to still bid online. The past three months has seen 41 White Suffolk sales utilize the online platform, with some being mixed breeds. Table 1 below breaks down sale results for White Suffolk sales only.