Originally published Wednesday 29 June 2022, Updated Friday 1st July
The last AuctionsPlus commercial sheep and lamb sales of the 2021-22 financial year saw 66,809 head offered - a 5% increase on last week. Results were again mixed, whilst post sale negotiations are seeing strong clearance rates across the joined ewe categories.Crossbred lamb listings eased on last week with 6,246 head offered. The reduced offering resulted in prices easing $19, to average $130/head, while a subdued clearance rate of 44% was achieved. From Eumungerie, NSW a line of 206 Poll Dorset cross Border Leicester/Merino mixed sex suckers weighing 36kg lwt returned the top price at $160/head.
Merino wether lambs saw a jump in listings this week with 9,778 head offered, up 44% on last week. Post-sale negotiations saw the clearance rate lift to 62% from 42% at the immediate end of the auction. The category averaged $105/head – back $17. A line of 780 woolgrower wether lambs weighing 39kg lwt from Quilpie, Queensland returned $112/head.
Merino ewe lambs registered the biggest price jump for the lamb category, with the 5,132 head averaging $138/head – up $59. From Lameroo, SA 110 future breeder ewe lambs weighing 30kg lwt returned $153/head.
First cross ewe lambs saw a drop in listings this week, with 3,567 head offered. Reaching a subdued 33% clearance rate late Thursday, the category averaged $188/head – back $1. From Cumnock, NSW, a line of 240 Border Leicester/Merino ewe lambs weighing 53kg lwt returned the top price for the category, at $250/head.
The breeding ewe market saw a lift in clearance rates across the categories, with prices mixed for the week. Registering the largest offering for the week, SIL Merino ewes with 10,772 head offered, reached a 52% clearance rate late Thursday up from 47% at the immediate close of sales averaging $221/head – up $12. From Stawell, Victoria, a line of four-year-old ewes, weighing 65kg lwt, SIL to White Suffolk rams returned $266/head.
SIL first cross ewes with 5,133 head offered averaged $254/head – back $34 on last week. The category registered a subdued clearance, at 39% late Thursday. Selling prior to auction was a line of 338 Border Leicester/Merino five-year-old ewes, weighing 76kg lwt, SIL to Dorset rams from Bathurst, NSW, returned $270/head.
Non station mated categories saw Merino ewe hoggets and shedding breed ewes increase on last week, whilst Merino ewes and composite/other breed ewes eased. Merino ewe hoggets saw 1,771 head listed, averaging $200/head – up $17. From Jamestown, SA, a line of 175 12-13-month-old Poll Merino ewe hoggets weighing 53kg lwt returned $237/head.