Weekly Sheep & Lamb Comments - Week ending Friday 16th September 2022

Originally published Wednesday 14th September 2022, updated Friday 16th September 2022.

After last week's increased offerings, AuctionsPlus weekly commercial sheep and lamb listings for Tuesday 13^th September took a step back, down 37% week-on-week, at 42,524 head. Interestingly, the decline in listings for this time of the year follows similar trends in the previous two years, where listings for the same week were back 23% week-on-week. This week’s small offering of lambs saw price increases across four of the five categories, while clearance rates were mixed. Joined ewe listings remain in short supply, while unjoined offerings and demand increased.

Crossbred lambs recorded the largest lamb offering for the week, at 10,059 head, up 32% on last week. Selling from $90-$165, the category averaged $140/head – lifting $4, with continued buyer interest seeing the clearance rate reach 73% late Thursday. From St Arnaud, Victoria, a line of 297 White Suffolk/Merino mixed sex suckers, weighing 40kg lwt returned $156/head.

Merino wether lambs registered a smaller week-on-week offering, at 9,367 head, down 70% on the previous week. Strong post sale negotiations following the close of the sale saw clearance rate reach 83% late Thursday up from 27% at the immediate close of sale, averaging $120/head – up $8. From Blanchetown, SA, a line of 475 wether lambs, weighing 35kg lwt, returned $116/head to a buyer from Victoria.

Merino ewe lamb listings lifted week-on-week, up 57%, at 1,645 head. Averaging $162/head, the category saw the impacts of a selective market during auction whilst post sale negotiations in the 48hrs following saw the clearance rate lift to 51%, up from 9%.

First cross ewe lambs recorded 3,407 head for the week. Averaging $198/head, down $30 from the previous week, the category reached a 67% clearance late Thursday, up from 42% at the immediate close of the sale. 290 Border Leicester/Merino ewe lambs from Gilgandra, NSW, returned top price for the category with the 55kg lwt line returning $241/head.

Joined listings remain scarce, which is typical of listings at this time of the year, with 3,499 head offered. SIL first cross ewes were the largest category, at 829 head, which sold to an 83% clearance rate. Prices for the category averaged $265/head – steady on last week. A subdued listing of SIL Merino ewes sold to strong buyer demand, with the 519 head achieving a 100% clearance, averaging $182/head – up $8.

Unjoined ewes accounted for 32% of the weekly offering, with 13,455 head. Prices and clearance rates for the categories were mixed, as buyers approached the sale with cautious mindsets. Merino ewe hoggets registered the largest offering for the unjoined categories, with the 4,575 head selling to strong demand with post sale negotiations lifting the clearance rate to 85%, following a 58% clearance at the immediate close of sale. Prices ranged from $120-$302, to average $203/head – back $32. From St George, Queensland, 330, 22-23-month-old NSM ewes, weighing 52kg lwt returned $180/head, selling to a buyer in NSW.

First cross ewes saw a 43% increase on last week’s offering, with 4,543 head. Impacted by selective buying the offering averaged $254/head – back $48, with post sale negotiations seeing the clearance rate lift to 43% following a subdued 25% at the immediate close of sales. From Collie, NSW, a line of 133 Border Leicester/Merino ewes aged 12-13 months, weighing 69kg lwt returned $300/head.

Note: Prices as at 5pm, Thursday 15th September 2022

Updated 16th September 2022 - Originally published 14th September.