AuctionsPlus commercial sheep and lamb listings fell 24% to 39,295 in a short trading week due to the Easter long weekend. The reduced throughput met with significant price drops, notably the AuctionsPlus restocker indicator known as ARLI which dropped 156c/kg and is now sitting at 477c/kg.
There was a six percentage point fall in the clearance rate to 55%, however Value Over Reserve rose by $3 to average $14 across all listings.
The overall lamb yarding may have been well back, but there was a 253% increase in the number of Merino Wether Lambs on offer this week. This week 7,884 of the category were offered, up from 2,236 last week and the increased yarding was met with $4/head increase in price to average $73.
In the Ewe categories SM First x Ewes were a stand out, with a 338% increase in throughput, however the 285 offered was coming from a small base off last week's 65 head. Prices were steady in this category.
SIL Merino Ewes enjoyed a $22/increase, with a 56% smaller offering than the previous week, to average $144/head.
Listings were down in all states except WA, which reentered the market this week, offering 1,340 head. NSW halved its buying power this week, only purchasing just over 10,000 head. Victorian buyers also took home less sheep and lamb, while SA and QLD buyers engaged in more buying than previous weeks.
Processors were not active in the online marker for the second week in a row.
Table 1: AuctionsPlus National Weekly Sheep and Lamb Prices
Report: Interactive Market Dashboard
Crossbred Lambs registered a 43% smaller offering in head, with prices falling $8 on last week to average $120/head for a 81% clearance. From Bombala, NSW a line of 460 Poll Dorset/Border Leicester/Merino mixed sex Sep '23 and weighing 40kg lwt returned $135/head, or 342c/kg, and will travel to a buyer in Young, NSW.
The 7,884 Merino wether lambs offered this week was a 253% increase on last week's auction. Prices lifted $4/head compared to last week and a 77% clearance rate. From Hillston, NSW a line of 170 Merino wethers Oct '23 and weighing 38kg lwt returned $70/head, or 185c/kg and will travel to a buyer in Balranald, NSW.
3,044 SIL Composite/Other Breed Ewes Ewes were offered this week, up 103% from last week. Prices were up by $42/head to record an average price of $150/head, however the clearance rate was just 39%.
Note: Prices as at 5pm Thursday, 4th April 2024