Weekly Sheep & Lamb Comments - Week ending Friday 14th July

AuctionsPlus commercial sheep and lamb listings halved from last week to 18,879 head as the wet and cold conditions impact listings. Despite the smaller yarding, demand was subdued with clearance remaining firm on last week at 55% and Value Over Reserve lifting by $8 to average $20. Overall, prices lifted on last week where a comparison could be made, in particular strong rises were recorded in the joined ewe market, while lamb prices remained relatively stable.

The deficit in listings was felt in the lamb and joined ewe lines with both categories dropping by over 50% from last week, while at a state level, all states recorded over a 50% decline in listings, accounting for the third lowest yarding since 2016.

Table 1: AuctionsPlus National Weekly Sheep and Lamb Prices
Link 2: National Lamb Sale Results
Link 3: Tuesday National Sheep Sale Results
Report: Interactive Market Dashboard

Crossbred lamb listings halved from last week at 2,629 head, with the smaller yarding resulting in prices increasing by $2 to average $88/head - for an 85% clearance. From Bombala, NSW a line of 640 White Suffolk/Border Leicester/Merino Sep/Nov '22 drop mixed sex lambs weighing 38kg returned $110/head, or 292c/kg lwt.

First cross ewe lambs registered 1,051 head, with prices decreasing by $49 on last week to average $94/head. Despite the decrease in prices, the total offering managed to find a buyer. From Rugby, NSW a line of 475 Border Leicester/Poll Merino Oct/Nov '22 drop ewe lambs weighing 32kg lwt returned $95/head, or 297c/kg and will travel to a buyer in Culcairn, NSW.

SIL Merino ewes fell by 80% with 1,246 head offered, as prices picked up on last week, increasing by $20 to average $114/head. From Delegate, NSW a line of 390 Merino SIL ewes aged 21 to 22 months old and weighing 50kg returned $102/head and will travel to a buyer in Mummel, NSW.

SIL first cross ewes registered a larger offering with the 2,111 head averaging $172/head – increasing $40 on last week. As one of only two categories to see higher listings on last week, the larger offering was met with subdued demand at a 37% clearance. From Illabarook, VIC a line of 270 Border Leicester/Poll Merino ewes aged 4.5 years and weighing 84kg returned $226/head, and will travel to a buyer in Naracoorte, SA.

Note: Prices as at 5pm Thursday, 13^th July 2023

Table 1: AuctionsPlus National Weekly Sheep and Lamb Prices

AuctionsPlus Interactive Sheep Market Report