The AuctionsPlus weekly sheep and lamb offering increased by 2% this week, with a total of 78,857 head listed online. With winter drawing to a close and the spring selling season just around the corner, new season lambs continued to flock to the online market - making up 65% of the total offering this week.
Following last week’s 25% increase in listings and price contraction across most of the lamb categories, the market this week regained some ground, with price lifts in four out of the six lamb categories. Central Western NSW was the top purchasing region again this week, securing 14,844 head, followed by Southwest Victoria and the Riverina (NSW), which secured 10,411 and 10,408 head respectively.
Crossbred lambs registered a 20% lift in listings this week, totaling 22,227 head - with an impressive 100% clearance obtained for the category. Prices for the category increased by 42c/kg to average 534c/kg lwt, or $166/head. NSW offered 70% of the crossbred lamb category – 48% of which were sold to Victorian buyers.
Shedding breed lambs saw a contraction in numbers this week, with 1,942 head listed online. A tighter offering was met with robust demand, as the category averaged $83/head higher than last week, at $334/head.
Merino wether lambs registered an 18% lift in listings this week, which was matched by a jump in the clearance rates, as 96% of the category sold. Prices ranged from $119 to $174, to average $9 higher than last week, at $142/head. Merino ewe lambs, on the other hand, reported an 80% contraction in supplies from last week, to only 2,126 head. Despite a reduced supply, prices eased for the second week in a row – back $28, to average $210/head.
Off the back of yet another record-breaking sale of SIL Australian White ewes in Tuesday’s sheep sale, the SIL shedding breed ewe category saw a $198 lift, to average $598/head. The category reported a reduced offering of only 603 head this week, with numbers back 61% from last week. With the reduced offering, buyers competed fiercely, resulting in a 100% clearance rate.
SIL first cross ewes averaged $40 higher this week, to average $316/head, with the category achieving 100% clearance - a significant jump from last weeks’ 69% from a smaller offering. The top line consisted of 154 SIL ewes from Naracoorte SA, which averaged 55.6kg and returned $338/head. These ewes will travel interstate, to Birchip, Victoria.
NSM Merino ewe hoggets had a similar offering to last week, at 3,525 head, with a steady clearance rate of 89%. Prices were back on last week, falling $31, to average $251/head.
NOTE: Prices as at 5pm, Thursday 26th July, 2021