Lamb numbers running 6-8 weeks early

After last week’s 53% jump in sheep and lamb offerings, exceeding 120,000 head, this week’s AuctionsPlus National Lamb and Sheep sales are set to reach 95,000 head – an increase of 17% on the corresponding week in 2020. With the inevitable spring supply surge developing, buyer interest will be very closely watched – especially across the heavily populated Merino wether lamb and crossbred lamb categories.

The substantial rain that fell through many key southern sheep regions over the past week may have contributed to the reduction in offerings this week – albeit numbers are still well above the same period last year. Comparatively, the combined online numbers of the past two weeks, exceeding 215,000 head are far more representative of late October numbers in 2020 and 2019.

So why have we seen weekly totals that are 6-8 weeks earlier than in the past two years? In short, feedback tells us that it is price. Producers have done their sums and are willing to sell stock earlier than in the previous two years. Given last weeks results, it appears that buyers are willing to pay the seasonally higher prices for the new season lambs, confident of a second excellent spring ahead.

As is the case in early spring, attention will again be focused on the new season lamb prices, with demand for suitable breeding lines remaining at all-time highs. This includes watching the following:

National Lamb Sale – commencing 1pm EST Tuesday 7^th September

Lot 452 – 570 Merino woolgrower wether lambs, from Dirranbandi, Southern Queensland. The Sept – Oct 2020 drop lambs average 44kg liveweight.

Lot 482 – 185 Border Leicester/Poll Merino store wether lambs, out of Dubbo, NSW. April-May 2021 drop, averaging 34kg liveweight.

Lot 511 – 435 Poll Merino wether suckers, out of Balranald, NSW. May-June 2021 drop, averaging 35.1kg liveweight.

Lot 551 – 145 White Suffolk/Merino mixed sex suckers, from Gundagai, NSW. April-May drop, averaging 23.6kg liveweight.

Lot 584 – 593 Border Leicester/Poll Merino wether suckers, out of Glenroy, southeast SA. April-May drop, averaging 32.5kg liveweight.

National Sheep Sale – commencing 2pm EST Tuesday 7^th September

Lot 651 – 650 Merino Export wethers aged 3-5 years from Cunnamulla, Qld which average 65kg liveweight.

Lot 657 – 235 Merino Station Mated ewes from Glenn Innes, NSW. The Merino ewes are aged 4-5 years and weigh 47.5kg average liveweight.

Lot 832 – 99 Border Leicester/Merino future breeder ewe lambs from Patchewollock, VIC. The lambs are Jul-Aug ’20 drop and average 67.7kg liveweight.

Lot 845 – 53 Paradoo Prime/Composite ewes which are Scanned-In-Lamb to Australian White rams. The ewes located in Tantanoola, SA are 11-13 months old and weigh 37.4kgs liveweight.

Lot 864 –800 SAMM ewes from Dalyup, WA which are aged between 4.2-4.5 years. The ewes have 40-50mm of wool and weigh an average of 54.8kg liveweight.