Originally published Wednesday 12th October 2022, updated Friday 14th October 2022.
AuctionsPlus commercial sheep and lamb listings eased back 13% this week, following the impact of flooding rains across NSW, totalling 96,755 head. Lambs continue to dominate the weekly offering, with new season lambs accounting for 66% of the market. Crossbred and Merino wether lamb categories registered price rises on last week, while increased buyer sentiment carried across the unjoined ewe market.
Crossbred lambs registered the largest offering across the lamb categories, with 25,325 head. The increased offering failed to dampen buyer sentiment, seeing prices lift $1 on last week to average $141/head - reaching a 67% clearance. From Avenel, Victoria, a line of 520 Poll Dorset/Merino mixed sex suckers, weighing 36kg lwt returned $143/head.
Off the back of a large offering last week, Merino wether lamb listings eased with 19,636 head offered. Prices climbed $11 on last week, selling from $75 to $167, to average $115/head - reaching an 84% clearance rate late Thursday, up from 62% at the immediate close of sale on Tuesday. From Broken Hill, NSW, a line of Merino suckers, weighing 45kg lwt, returned $138/head to a buyer in SA.
Merino ewe lambs registered an offering of 8,790 head for the week, up 58% on last week. The increased offering saw prices ease on last week, slipping $83 to average $151/head - while post sale negotiations saw clearance rise to 75%, up from 62% at the immediate close of sale. Selling for $26 over reserve, a line of 430 Poll Merino ewe lambs from Hay, NSW, weighing 40kg lwt, returned $196/head.
Composite/other breed lamb listings tripled on last weeks offering, reaching 3,570 head. Selling from $129-$155, the category averaged $136/head – easing $4. Following a strong 84% clearance rate during the auction, post sale negotiations lifted the category to a 100% clearance. From Tarcutta, NSW, three lines of 250 Primeline wether suckers sold from $154-$155/head.
There was a scarce offering of joined ewes, with the 606 head impacted by selective buying. 138 SIL Shedding breed ewes, averaged $488/head – back $20, reaching a 51% clearance. 248 SM Shedding breed ewes averaged $217/head – easing $35, reaching an 83% clearance.
Accounting for 31% of the weekly offering, unjoined ewe listings rose 10% on last week, to total 29,911 head. Buyers continue to look for quality over quantity, seeing prices for four of the five categories rise week-on-week, while clearance remained mixed. Merino ewe hogget listings rose 10% on last week, at 9,552 head. The category sold to a $292/head average – up $83 week-on-week, reaching a 48% clearance. From Skipton, Victoria, a line of 420 Merino ewe hoggets aged 15-17-months, weighing 52kg lwt returned $200/head.
Merino ewes registered the largest offering for the unjoined categories, registering 11,257 head - up 127% on last week. The increased offering failed to damped prices, seeing the category sell to a $228/head average – up $67, with a 83% clearance rate, up from 71% at the immediate close of sale. From Isisford, Queensland, a line of 520 rising six-year-old Merino ewes, weighing 60kg lwt, returned $159/head to a buyer in NSW.
Shedding breed ewes continue to sell to strong demand, with the 1,028 head offering selling to a 100% clearance rate. Averaging $359/head, the category rose $71 on last week. Returning the top price for the category at $428/head was a line of 31 Australian White ewes aged 12 to 14 months from Dubbo, NSW, weighing 55kg lwt.
Note: Prices as at 5pm, Thursday 13th October 2022