Weekly Sheep & Lamb Comments - Week ending Friday 21st July

AuctionsPlus commercial sheep and lamb listings rebounded significantly after last weeks historically low offering with 43,783 head offered. The increased offering was consumed by positive demand, as clearance finished the week at 67%, climbing 12 percentage points from last week to record the second highest clearance this year. Value over reserve was firm at $19. Although the auction indicators were healthy, the market continued its slide, with crossbred lambs falling a further 21% to average $70/head.

The higher listings were made up by a solid rebound in lamb offerings at just shy of 17,000 head, while South Australia saw an influx in listings with numbers increasing from a minor 638 head last week to 4,657 head this week. Although we saw similar amounts of lots offered this week as was recorded last week, the larger offering was a result of a higher average number of head per lot, increasing 70 head to average 294 head.

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 were back up this week at 5,760 head, with the larger offering causing prices to decline $18, to average $70/head at a 77% clearance. From Marulan, NSW a line of 440 White Suffolk/Merino Aug/Sep '22 mixed sex lambs weighing 51kg returned $125/head, or 244c/kg.

First cross ewe lambs were one of only three categories to record a price rise this week, increasing $9 to average $103/head. The 2,591 head registered a 61% clearance. From Yass, NSW a line of 250 Jun/Jul '22 Border Leicester/Merino ewe lambs weighing 41kg returned $106/head and will travel to a buyer in The Rock, NSW.

SIL Merino ewes spiked back up this week with 3,391 head offered, as prices fell by $11 on last week, to average $103/head. From Wycheproof, VIC a line of 235 Merino ewes aged 2.1 - 2.2 years and weighing 54kg returned $150/head.

Merino ewe hoggets registered 2,050 head this week, with prices increasing $12 to average $72/head – for a 89% clearance. From Coonamble, NSW a line of 235 Merino ewes aged 22 - 23 months old and weighing 48kg returned $60/head.

Note: Prices as at 5pm Thursday, 20^th July 2023

Table 1: AuctionsPlus National Weekly Sheep and Lamb Prices

AuctionsPlus Interactive Sheep Market Report