Listings of White Suffolk sheep and lambs on AuctionsPlus have seen their fair share of challenges in recent years. From possible exotic disease concerns to growing conditions being stuck in the mud, flooding logistical issues and a steep market decline, here is how they have fared during the twists and turns of the market.
White Suffolk listings have hit record highs in the first quarter of 2023, as an influx of new season 2022 lambs hit the market later than usual.
The 180,016 head was up 21% on the same period in 2022 and 30% up on 2021 (Figure 1). Although listings were very strong in Quarter 1, this trend has not been maintained into Quarter 2, as the 44,909 head total is below the last three years with uncertainty impacting the overall sheep market.
Figure 1: White Suffolk listings in Q1 and Q2, 2018 - 2023
Reviewing 2022, White Suffolk listings failed to maintain the strong start that was seen in the first six months of the year.
Listings for the year fell short of 2020 and the record year of 2021. Wet conditions resulted in logistical issues with getting stock to market, coupled with the concerns of an exotic disease incursion, drove a particularly low supply in the back half of the year, in an otherwise high new season supply period.
As shown in Figure 1, the backlog of new season lambs in 2022 ended up coming through the system in Quarter 1, 2023.
Figure 2: Annual White Suffolk listings, 2017 – 2023* as of 30 June
As previously mentioned, listings in 2022 were unseasonably low in August and September, as farmers chose to retain lambs on farm before reassessing the market situation (Figure 3).
This was combined with lambs being market ready later than usual as the wet and muddy conditions meant fattening lambs was slower than usual.
Figure 3 highlights how listings tracked on their corresponding month each year, with the first six months of 2022 aligning with 2021, but the winter months and into spring was where the deficit was met.
Figure 3: Monthly White Suffolk listings 2021 – 2023* as of 30 June
As seen in Figure 4, prices have returned to levels last seen in 2019, falling from highs of $180 to around $100 for crossbred White Suffolk lambs in the second quarter of 2023.
Along with the fall in prices has been a decline in clearance rates, as restocking demand has dropped off after three consecutive years of flock rebuilding.
Figure 4: White Suffolk quarterly listings, clearance and prices, 2018 – Q2 2023
White Suffolk stud sales
The number of White Suffolk stud sales on AuctionsPlus has been increasing year on year, with 2022 seeing a total of 51 sales interfaced on the platform.
While average bids per sale, number of logins, lots purchased and catalogue views have decreased from the highs of 2020, the current levels are still extremely strong.
So far in 2023, an average of 30 lots are being purchased by online buyers and sale catalogues are being viewed by an average of 1,812 users.
Figure 5: White Suffolk Stud Sale Statistics, 2018 – 2023* as of 30 June
As we move towards spring, there will be a large increase in sales utilising the online platform. Please head to the AuctionsPlus upcoming auctions page to see a full list of auctions and to view the catalogues.
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