AuctionsPlus commercial sheep and lamb listings fell 25% this week to 48,369 head due to the shorter week with the Easter Long weekend. The market was generally stronger with only a handful of categories falling in price. Value over reserve fell $1 to $9/head, dropping from $17 on Tuesday due to post-sale updates. Clearance rate was again healthy this week, with the lower listings resulting in an 8 percentage point rise to 62% clearance. Confidence in the season has improved with recent rains and tighter supplies has increased competition, pushing prices for most categories higher.
Listings were lower for most categories while they increased for first cross ewe lambs and joined ewes, seeing almost double last week’s listings for some categories. SM Merino ewe prices returned to more normal levels after a significant spike last week, averaging $113/head.
Table 1: AuctionsPlus National Weekly Sheep and Lamb Prices
Link 2: National Lamb Sale Results
Link 3: Tuesday National Sheep Sale
Link 4: Results by Region
Crossbred lambs registered 5,995 head and averaged $109/head for a 95% clearance rate. Price per head has been tracking sideways for four weeks now, while prices per kilogram liveweight increased 15c this week to average 309c/kg lwt. From Taralga, NSW, a line of 332 Jul/Aug 22’ drop Poll Dorset/Border Leicester/Merino mixed sex store lambs weighing 39kg lwt returned $127/head, or 326c/kg lwt.
Listings of Merino wether lambs increased 10% to 8,534 head and averaged $94/head, up $28 on last week for a 53% clearance rate. From Lucindale, SA, two lines of 700 August 2022 drop Poll Merino store wether lambs weighing 41kg lwt returned $102/head, or 247c/kg lwt.
SIL Merino ewes registered 6,639 head and averaged $161/head, up $30 on last week for a 73% clearance rate. From Pira, Victoria, a line of 380 three-year-old Merino ewes SIL to Merino rams and weighing 72kg lwt returned $180/head.
Listings of SIL first cross ewes doubled to 3,214 head and averaged $227/head, up $34 on last week for a 74% clearance rate. From Tullamore, NSW, a line of 265 18-19-month-old Border Leicester/Poll Merino ewes SIL to Poll Dorset rams and weighing 69kg lwt returned $260/head, $10 over the reserve price.
Note: Prices as at 2pm Thursday, 6th April 2023
Table 1: AuctionsPlus National Weekly Sheep and Lamb Prices
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