Originally published Wednesday 25th January 2023 and updated Friday 27th January 2023
High volumes of sheep and lamb numbers continued to flow online this week with a total of 125,255 head listed. The offering contracted 15% from last weeks’ record January listing while numbers are sitting 32% above the corresponding week in 2022. The high throughput proved a challenge for demand as reduced clearance rates reflected selective buying across most categories.
The National Lamb sale had a total of 73,196 head offered across 214 lots. Two of the seven lamb categories sold to an improved average this week while shedding, composite and crossbred lambs all contracted.
Crossbred lambs had a total of 35,710 head offered which sold to a 64% clearance late Thursday, up from 39% at the immediate close of sale. Selective buying was prominent with demand for quality and weighted lambs underpinning strong results. Prices for the category ranged between $77-$148/head to average $110/head – steady on last week. Topping the category this week at $148/head was two lines of White Suffolk/Poll Merino/Dohne mixed sex lambs weighing 47kg lwt from Keilira, South Australia.
Merino wether lambs registered the highest clearance across the lamb categories- reaching 82% for the 12,438 head offered. Prices averaged $16 higher at $96/head, selling to a top of $125. From Longreach, Queensland a large run of 1,050 Merino lambs weighing 41kg lwt returned $106/head and will travel to Crooble, NSW. Merino ewe lambs had a very small offering this week with just 595 head offered while mixed sex Merinos registered a total of 2,023 head.
First cross ewe lambs had a total of 12,776 head offered which sold to a 34% clearance late Thursday up from a subdued 15% at the immediate close of Tuesday’s sale. Prices for the category were broad, ranging from $90-$230/head to average $154/head – back $56 on last week. From Naracoorte, SA a line of Border Leicester/Merino lambs weighing 49kg lwt returned $167/head.
Composite/Other breed lambs sold to a 65% clearance across the 8,601 head offered. Prices contracted by $7 from last week to average $93/head. From Glenburn, Victoria a line of Composite lambs weighing 48kg lwt returned $144/head.
Sheep numbers rose on last week with the offering of 49,466 head split across two sales on Tuesday. Joined ewe numbers contracted by 28% from last week with 10,687 head offered while unjoined ewe numbers rose by 13% to total 35,427 head. Clearance remained subdued across all sheep categories with all five NSM ewe categories registering prices dip from last week.
SIL Merino ewes were the largest joined ewe category this week with the 2,670 head selling to a 36% clearance. Prices for the category rose by $36 from last week to average $225/head. From Weethalle, NSW a line of 220 21-22-month-old SIL Merino ewes weighing 66kg lwt returned $280/head.
SM Shedding breed ewes contracted $17 on last week, with the 2,587 head selling to an 81% clearance- up from 36% at the immediate close of sales on Tuesday. Prices averaged $197/head. From Dubbo, NSW a line of Australian White ewes aged 24-36 months weighing 68kg lwt returned $253/head.
NSM Merino ewe hoggets had a total of 9,954 head offered across the category which sold to a 26% clearance late Thursday - up from 18% at the immediate close of sale. Prices for the category eased back $3 from last week to average $163/head. From Warren, NSW two even lines totaling 530 head of hoggets aged 16-17 months and weighing 58kg lwt returned $196/head.
NSM Merino ewes averaged $133/head this week- back $12. The 9,710 head offered sold to a 56% clearance. From Yass, NSW a line of 220, 3.5-year-old NSM ewes weighing 53kg lwt returned $174/head and will travel to Redan, Victoria.
First cross ewes sold to a 27% clearance across the 5,470 head offered with prices averaging $186/head- contracting $3 on last week. From Bombala, NSW two lines of Border Leicester/Merino ewes aged 14-16-months weighing 52kg lwt returned $222/head.
Unjoined composite/other breed ewes registered a $34 price contraction on last week to average $117/head across the 6,722 head offered- selling to a 50% clearance. From Walpa, Victoria a total of 650 composite ewe hoggets weighing 44kg lwt returned $160/head.
Note: Prices as at 5pm Thursday, 26th January 2023