Weekly Sheep & Lamb Comments - Week ending Friday 28th July

AuctionsPlus commercial sheep and lamb listings fell 43% to total 24,893 head as both listings and demand were again subdued. Final clearance reached 48%, which is back 19 percentage points from last week’s healthy clearance rate. Value over reserve also fell quite substantially, averaging $6 above set reserves, which is down $13 from last week.

In a swap of circumstance from last week, the auction health indicators fell, while the overall market lifted from last weeks lows. The crossbred lamb indicator lifted 21%, or $15 to average $85/head, while the overall market saw all but two categories fall in value where comparisons could be made.

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 continued their yoyo trend, with offerings falling 41% to total 3,419 head, while selective purchasing resulting in a 51% clearance. The category averaged $85/head, increasing $15 with prices ranging from $31 - $110. From Boorowa, NSW a line of 540 Poll Dorset/Border Leicester/Merino mixed sex Mar/Apr '23 drop and weighing 31kg returned $95/head, or 307c/kg lwt and will travel to a buyer in Wagga Wagga, NSW.

First cross ewe lambs continued their strong run, with prices increasing $36 to average $139/head. The strong average was aided by selective purchasing as clearance hit 32% for the 2,400 head offered. From Grong Grong, NSW a line of 168 Border Leicester/Merino Jun/Jul '22 drop ewe lambs weighing 66kg returned $180/head.

SM first cross ewes registered a larger offering at 600 head with the total offering finding a buyer and prices averaged $190/head. From Bridgewater North, Victoria, 600 head of SM first cross ewes spread across 4 lots returned between $189 - $191/head. These station mated ewes are aged 13 - 14 months will travel to a buyer in Clunes, VIC.

Shedding breed ewes jumped $104 to average $222 for the 1,026 head offered. From Narromine, NSW a line of 8 Australian White/White Dorper ewe lambs aged 10 - 11 months and weighing 48kg returned $120/head, or 251c/kg lwt and will travel to a buyer in Eumungerie, NSW.

Note: Prices as at 5pm Thursday, 27^th July 2023

Table 1: AuctionsPlus National Weekly Sheep and Lamb Prices

AuctionsPlus Interactive Sheep Market Report