Weekly Sheep & Lamb Comments - Week ending Friday 27th October

AuctionsPlus commercial sheep and lamb numbers increased by 15% this week, with 70,970 head offered. Representing the largest registered offering since the first week of May, it was met with weaker demand.

Overall clearance dropped 10 percentage points on last week to finish the week at 62%. Price trends were firm, with both value over reserve and the crossbred lamb category sitting at the same levels as last week. Prices across the board were flat week on week.

This week’s market was dictated by lamb offerings, comprising 60% of the total at 42,729 head, of which 96% were new season lambs. The remainder of the offering was made up of NSM ewes, which spiked by 47% on last week to see 22,023 head offered, or 31% of the total offering.

READ MORE: Why the Restocker Lamb spread is a buying opportunity

Table 1: AuctionsPlus National Weekly Sheep and Lamb Prices
Report: Interactive Market Dashboard

Crossbred lamb numbers jumped 11% from last week to 21,683 head. The larger offering registered a 68% clearance, averaged $4 over reserve and returned $62/head. From Harden, NSW, two lines of 330 Poll Dorset/Border Leicester/Merino second cross mixed sex suckers weighing 44kg and May/Jun '23 drop returned $91/head, or 209c/kg.

Merino wether lambs returned to more normal levels this week at 10,880 head, with strong demand for the offering resulting in a 79% clearance rate. Prices reduced slightly to $42/head. From Booroorban, NSW, a line of 290 Merino wether lambs May/Jun '23 drop and weighing 38kg lwt returned $63/head and the top price for the category.

Merino ewe hoggets registered a large offering at 12,420 head, increasing by 93% on last week. Despite the large offering, the market held strong with the category seeing a 64% clearance and prices jumping $5 to $88/head. From Deniliquin, NSW, 410 Merino ewe hoggets aged 16 – 17 months and weighing 51kg lwt exceeded their reserve level by $42 to sell for $142/head.

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Note: Prices as at 5pm Thursday, 26^th October 2023

Table 1: AuctionsPlus National Weekly Sheep and Lamb Prices

AuctionsPlus Interactive Sheep Market Report