Weekly Sheep & Lamb Comments - Week ending Friday 24 March 2023

Commercial sheep and lamb listings on AuctionsPlus were consistent week-on-week, with 88,716 head. Overall clearance rate kicked this week, up 15 percentage points, while value over reserve was flat and average prices were generally mixed. This suggests vendors may have adjusted their expectations in response to the end of three consecutive La Nina’s and the ‘watch’ status for an El Nino and set reserves lower to meet the market.

Clearance rates were generally higher for joined ewes and lambs while they fell for NSM sheep. Sheep and lambs swapped places this week with lamb categories flat or better. Prices across most sheep categories averaged lower, with SIL categories losing all last week’s gains. 

Table 1: AuctionsPlus National Weekly Sheep and Lamb Prices
Link 2: National Lamb Sale Results
Link 3: Tuesday National Sheep Sale
Link 4: Results by Region

Crossbred lambs registered a decreased listings of 16,068 head and averaged $106/head, down slightly from last week for a 59% clearance rate – up from 46% at the immediate close of auctions. From Dalgety, NSW, a line of 500 Sep/Oct 22’ drop Poll Dorset/Border Leicester/Merino mixed sex store lambs weighing 35kg lwt returned $115/head, $20 over the reserve price.

Merino wether lamb listings dropped to 6,727 head and averaged $78/head, up $7 on last week for a 76% clearance rate. From Dirranbandi, Queensland, a line of 450 Sep/Oct 22’ drop Merino woolgrower wether lambs weighing 30kg lwt returned $75/head lwt, or 247c/kg lwt.

SIL Merino ewes registered 13,614 head and averaged $114/head, down $47 from last week for a 66% clearance rate – up from 39% at the immediate close of auctions. From Winchelsea, Victoria, a line of 370 rising seven-year-old Poll Merino SIL ewes weighing 51kg lwt returned $90/head.

SIL first cross ewes registered 3,852 head and averaged $172/head, down $40 from last week for a 74% clearance rate – up from 54% at the immediate close of auctions. From Eubalong, NSW, a line of 136 two to three-year-old Border Leicester/Merino SIL ewes weighing 81kg lwt returned $210/head. 

Note: Prices as at 5pm Thursday, 23rd March 2023. 

Table 1: AuctionsPlus National Weekly Sheep and Lamb Prices