Originally posted Wednesday 15 June 2022, Updated Friday 17 June 2022
AuctionsPlus commercial sheep and lamb listings increased this week, with 62,652 head offered - up 25% on last week. The increased supplies brought mixed results, with joined offerings back on last week, while NSM Merino categories strengthened. Strong post-sale negotiations saw clearance rates across all categories increase from Tuesday, with five categories achieving a 100% clearance.
7,209 crossbred lambs were offered this week, up 13% on last week. Prices averaged $147/head, steady on last week. From Guyra, NSW a line of 754 Poll Dorset cross Border Leicester/Merino mixed sex store lambs weighing 47kg lwt returned the top price for the category at $186/head.
Merino wether lambs registered the biggest offering for the lamb categories this week, with 7,511 head, averaging $118/head – back $2 on last week. Post-sale negotiations saw the clearance rate rise from a subdued 19% at the immediate closure of the sale, to 43% by Thursday evening. A line of 246 store wether lambs weighing 36kg lwt from Ledcourt, Victoria, returned $136/head.
Merino ewe lambs recorded a spike in numbers this week, at 1,686 head – up 86% on last week. Selling from $181 to $200, averaging $191/head – back $45 on last week, the category achieved the strongest lamb clearance at the immediate close of sale, at 52%.
Composite/other breed lambs experienced the only price jump for the lamb categories this week, up $10, to average $157/head. The 3,415 head achieved a 64% clearance.
The breeding ewe market for the week saw all bar one category ease on last week, with clearance rates mixed. SIL Merino ewes, with 12,498 head offered, achieved a 67% clearance, up from 49% at the immediate closure of sale, averaging $224/head – back $16. A line of 65 rising six-year-old Poll Merino ewes, weighing 69kg lwt, SIL to Border Leicester rams from Mundulla, SA, returned $244/head.
SIL first cross ewes registered the only price rise for the joined ewe categories, with the 3,180 head listed averaging $326/head – up $46. From Gundagai, NSW, a line of 136 Border Leicester/Merino ewes aged 11-12 months, weighing 47kg SIL to Poll Dorset rams returned $354/head.
SIL shedding breed ewes registered a 90% clearance, up from 84% at the immediate closure of sale - the highest for the joined ewe categories. Averaging $396/head for the 2,722 head offering - prices eased $192 on last week.
Non station mated Merino ewes saw 1,673 head offered for the week, back 23% on last week. Achieving the biggest price rise for the week, the category averaged $200 – up $51/head. From Conargo, NSW, a line of 188 three-to-four-year-old scanned empty ewes, weighing 72kg lwt returned $200/head.