Hat trick takes spring lambs numbers beyond 1.5 million

The third consecutive week of over 150,000 head offered through AuctionsPlus commercial sheep and lamb sales will continue to challenge current market levels, with new season lambs again expected to meet careful buying in tomorrow’s National Lamb Sale. Assisted by the recent surge in numbers out of SA, AuctionsPlus lamb offerings so far in spring have edged past 1.5 million this week – an increase of 32% on the same period in 2020, and 500,000 more than in the drought impacted period of 2019.

For the 94,426 head to be offered in the National Lamb Sale (commencing at 1pm EDST), buyers are again expected to be calculated in their purchasing, given the recent clearance rates. Following a wet start with more to come in November across many regions, combined with the commencement of harvest season, many buyers may restrain from purchasing until some sunnier and warmer conditions arrive. There is again a strong offering of lambs out of South Australia and patches of western Victoria, while most purchases are again expected to come out of southern NSW.

For the National Sheep Sale (commencing at 2pm EDST), demand is expected to again be fierce for the station mated and scanned in lamb lines – albeit a small proportion of the total sale. After a mixed clearance rate last week, NSM Merino ewe hogget numbers will dominate the offering, while bidding through the Merino ewe lines will again be strong.

National Lamb Sale

• Lot 101: A total of 1,120 Merino woolgrower wether lambs from Dirranbandi, Queensland, will be offered across two even lines. The wethers are aged 13-14 months and weigh an average of 52.1kg liveweight.

• Lot 185: From Holbrook, NSW, a line of 557 first cross Poll Dorset/Merino mixed sex lambs weighing 37.5kg liveweight. The vendor is offering another lighter line of 242 mixed sex lambs weighing 32kg liveweight in the sale.

• Lot 212: From Maldon, Victoria, a line of 460 store wether lambs weighing 39.6kg liveweight. A total of 1,740 head of May/Jun ’21 drop lambs will be split across 5 lots in the sale.

• Lot 359: From Kingscote, SA, a total of 1,030 head of White Suffolk/Merino mixed sex store lambs weighing 37.2kg liveweight. The lambs are split across two even lines.

• Lot 371: From Wandering, WA, a total of 1,900 mixed sex White Suffolk/Merino store lambs will be offered across two lots. The lambs are July ’21 drop and weigh an average of 36.1kg liveweight.

National Sheep Sale

• Lot 305: From Morvern, Queensland, a line of 470 White Dorper/Australian White & Dorper station mated ewes & 530 Lambs. Ewes weigh an average of 53.6kg and are continuously joined to Australian White rams, while the lambs average 25kg liveweight.

• Lot 376: From Ivanhoe, NSW, two even lines of NSM Merino ewes totaling 1,050 head. The ewes are May/Jun 2014 drop and weigh an average of 63.7kg liveweight.

• Lot 487: A total of 790 head of Merino future breeder ewe hoggets from Telangtuk East, Victoria. The Jul/Aug ’20 drop ewes are split across two even lines and weigh 41.7kg liveweight.

• Lot 542: From Mount Pleasant, SA, two lines of 306 NSM Merino ewes aged 5.5 years. The ewes weigh an average of 64.7kg liveweight and are available to “buy now” for $190/head.

• Lot 574: From Narrogin, WA, a total of 1,110 Merino ewes aged 1.2-1.4 years offered across two even lines which weigh an average of 46.9kg liveweight.