The last week of October is set to host yet another colossal offering of sheep and lambs across AuctionsPlus commercial sheep and lamb sales for Tuesday 26th October. The preliminary offering of 162,000 head is pushing up against the all-time high set only two weeks earlier at 164,375 head. Over the past five weeks, an additional 200,000 head of sheep and lambs have been offered through AuctionsPlus, compared to the corresponding period in 2020.
With the National Lamb Sale commencing at 1pm EDST, the 108,000 head is made up primarily of new season lines. As temperatures warm up across western regions assisting the conditioning of lambs, the onset of the larger numbers into the market has been anxiously anticipated from many buyers. With last week’s results showing some easing through the crossbred and Merino lamb categories, the additional numbers will again place pressure on the market.
The National Sheep Sale (commencing at 2pm EDST), has an influx of older unjoined ewe numbers this week, with a pre-sale catalogue of almost 41,000 ewes on offer. In contrast, just shy of 7,000 hoggets are listed for sale, while ewes with lambs at foot remain extremely scarce, with only 2,800 for sale tomorrow.
Figure 1 illustrates the breakdown of the NSM ewe offering in the Tuesday Sheep sale, with 48% of the offering comprising of ewes over five years old. Younger ewe hoggets and maiden ewes comprise 22% of the offering this week. Both NSM ewe and hogget categories have recorded a spike in listings over recent weeks, yet clearance rates for the respective categories have remained low as restockers and processors look for quality lines with solid weight and frame at the right price. Figure 2 highlights the weight distribution of NSM ewes offered this week- with the average liveweight for the category sitting at 62kg (26.7kg dressed weight).
Lot 400: From Isisford, Queensland, a line of 1,030 Merino woolgrower wether lambs weighing an average of 27.5kg liveweight. The lambs are Mar/Apr ’21 drop, unshorn and consist of Landsdowne and Poll Boonoke bloodlines.
Lot 425: From Coonamble, NSW, a line of 256 first cross Border Leicester/Merino future breeder ewe lambs weighing 21.5kg liveweight. The Jul/Aug ’21 drop lambs are sired by Dunnield Border Leicester rams. The vendor has a total of 3,400 ewe and wether lambs offered across twelve lots in the lamb sale.
Lot 538: 585 White Suffolk/Merino mixed sex suckers from Simpson, Victoria. The lambs are Aug/Sep ’21 drop and weigh an average of 26.2kg liveweight.
Lot 628: 600 Merino future breeder ewe lambs from Kingston, SA. Lambs are Jun/Jul ’21 drop and weigh an average of 24.2kg liveweight. A total of 1,530 ewe lambs offered across three lots as a run out the gate will be in the sale.
Lot 100: 420 NSM Merino ewes aged 2-3 years from Cunnamulla, Queensland. The June shorn ewes weigh an average of 59.6kg liveweight. A total of 840 ewes offered across two lots will feature in the sale.
Lot 248: 157 Jun/Jul 2017 drop SIL Merino ewes from Temora, NSW. The ewes are 153% SIL to SAMM rams and weigh an average of 75.6kg liveweight.
Lot 341: 365 Border Leicester/Dohne/Merino future breeder ewe hoggets from Neuarpurr, Victoria. Ewes are Apr/May ’20 drop, September shorn and weigh an average of 61.1kg liveweight.
Lot 397: 250 Poll Merino and Dohne ewes with 250 LAF aged 4-12 weeks from Lock, SA. The ewes are Jul/Aug 2019 drop and weigh an average of 58.4kg liveweight.