Dorper listings on AuctionsPlus remain robust despite the ups and downs of the market in the past 12 months. 2022 registered just shy of another record year for listings and 2023 has experienced a strong start in the first six months. Listings so far this year have totaled 101,028 head, which is 34% behind the same period last year, although up 19% on 2020 levels and 55% up on 2019. The market has had a tougher run in 2023 with the retreat in prices across the general sheep market certainly being felt in the shedding breed market, which has had the largest impact on listings.
Looking to 2022, it’s interesting to note that despite the fall in overall Dorper listings, pure Dorper articles increased to 179,123 head, surpassing the record seen in 2021 by 2%. It was in the crossbred lines where the deficit was created in 2022, falling 17%.
Despite the fall from 2021, the large offerings provided a strong indication of how high 2022 was shaping up to be given the impact that was generated from the risk of exotic diseases and logistical impact of significant flooding. This is illustrated in the 61% drop in listings from August to September 2022, which was then sustained in October, dropping a further 30% (Figure 2).
Given listings were tracking steady each month in 2022 compared to their 2021 counterpart, it was expected in September and October that listings would be at least sustained, whereas they were lower by 64% and 68%, respectively.
As shown in figure 3, average prices in Q4 2022 had a brief rise due to the limited supply of new season lambs in September and October. In turn, higher prices drew a flourish of sheep and lambs onto the box in November, causing listings to more than triple from October to 31,101 head of pure and crossbred Dorper listings, 99% above November 2022 (Figure 2).
Dorpers have not been immune to the recent price declines and were back 39% from Q2 2022 and 46% from Q2 2021. Prices are now back to Q2 2019 levels which has contributed to the the fall in overall listings in 2023.
Many sheep producers would be carefully watching the current market with the hope of an uptick before thinking of selling, which has led to reduced listings so far. Further to this, It will be interesting to see how the traditional lamb selling months go this year given the lower prices on offer, but the short window of typical selling months.
Reviewing state listing and purchasing proportions in 2023, its evident that NSW and Queensland are listing a lot more than they have been purchasing, at 70% of the total listed/purchased numbers being listed in 2023. On the reverse side, Victoria has been skewed towards purchasing.
NSW tends to have a higher listing ratio which ranged from 55% to 70% from 2016 to 2023. The low of 55% was recorded in 2020 at a time of restocking frenzy and a rising market for all types of livestock articles, pushing more and more buyers towards shedding breeds due to their lower maintenance input and costs during a tight labour market.
Dorper Stud Sales
So far in 2023, AuctionsPlus has been involved with seven Dorper stud sales, five of which held a physical sale and interfaced with AuctionsPlus and the remaining two opted for online only formats. Strong results were achieved across all sales, with strong online presence and high clearance rates ranging from 79% - 94%. Sale averages topped at $3,601/head and averaged $1,764.
Several more Dorper sales are booked in online for Spring. Head to the AuctionsPlus upcoming auctions page to see a full list of auctions and to view the catalogues.