Weekly Sheep & Lamb Comments - Week ending Friday 18th Feb 2022

*Originally published Wednesday  16th February 2022 - Updated Friday 18th February 2022

AuctionsPlus commercial sheep and lamb numbers lifted by 24% this week, to 113,835 head.

The run of dry and warm conditions has continued to assist finishing programs, while clearance rates across categories remains mixed, as many buyers exercise price caution heading towards autumn.

New season lambs accounted for 58% of the offering this week, with 60,363 head offered. Four of the six lamb categories returned higher prices this week, while Merino ewe and wether lamb prices both experienced a softening. A total of 13,850 head of crossbred lambs were offered this week, with the category returning an 83% clearance rate. Prices ranged from $120-182, to average $161/head - up $2 from last week.

Merino wether lambs were the largest lamb category this week, accounting for 16% of total listings with 18,613 head offered. Clearance rates reached 74% - dipping slightly on last week, while prices also softened for the category, averaging $132/head – back $10 from last week. From Tambo, Queensland, two lines of Apr/May ’21 drop Merino wether lambs, totaling 1,770 head and averaging 39kg, returned $145/head.

Shedding breed lambs had a total offering of 8,146 head this week, which returned the highest clearance rate among the lamb categories, at 84%. Prices for the category averaged $345/head – up $71 from last week. A highlight included two even lines of Australian White ewe lambs from Gulargambone NSW, aged 8-9 months and weighing 48kg liveweight, which returned $560/head.

Joined ewe listings accounted for 18% of the weekly supplies, with the 24,609 head offered receiving mixed results across the categories.

SIL first cross ewes had a total offering of 1,651 head this week, with the category returning a 43% clearance, as buyers took preference over younger and heavier lines of quality ewe offerings. Prices for the category averaged $350/head this week – up $83 from last week. A line of SIL Border Leicester/Merino ewes from Barnawartha Victoria, aged 3.5 years and weighing 62kg liveweight, sold $150 over their reserve, finishing at $405/head.

SIL Merino ewes accounted for 12% of the total offering this week, with 12,992 head offered which returned a 58% clearance. Prices ranged from $155-$373, to average $277/head - up $13 from last week. From Walla Walla, Riverina NSW, a line of 3-year-old SIL Poll Merino ewes weighing 67kg liveweight returned $373/head.

The unjoined ewe categories had a total of 22,839 head listed this week, with four of the five categories seeing a reduction in price averages from last week.

NSM Merino hoggets had a total of 9,544 head offered online this week, which returned a clearance of 76%. Prices for the category averaged $240/head – back $12 from last week. A total of 2,000 1.5-year-old NSM Merino hoggets, weighing 55kg, with Kerin Poll bloodlines were offered from Bourke, NSW. Offered across five even lots, the ewes returned between $388-390/head, to return the top price for the category and were all purchased by one buyer.

NOTE: Prices as at 5pm, Thursday 17^th February 2022