Originally published Wednesday 29th November 2022, updated Thursday 1st December 2022
The last week of November saw AuctionsPlus sheep and lamb listings slip below the 100,000 head mark, with 90,115 head offered – easing 37% on last week, as some producers took the opportunity to hold back the sale of stock because of the current subdued market conditions. Post-sale negotiations in the 48 hours following auction continued to facilitate a considerable lift in clearance rates across both sheep and lamb categories, while the average value above reserve lifted on last week – reaching $9.
Southwest Victoria again led the listings, with the region offering 21,073 head. Central Western NSW and Riverina, NSW, rounded out the top three, offering 21,168 head and 6,199 head, respectively. The NSW Riverina was the largest purchasing region, securing 5,030 head, followed by Central Western NSW, with 4,892 head.
The National Lamb Sale saw a total of 56,121 head listed across 164 lots – accounting for 63% of the weekly offering. Prices across three of the five lamb categories eased on last week with Merino wether lamb and first cross ewe lamb prices averaging higher week-on-week. Clearance rates remained subdued as market sentiment followed a similar path to recent weeks. Post-sale negotiations lifted clearance rates across the lamb sale which more than doubled to reach 43%.
Crossbred lamb numbers registered a sharp drop in listings this week - easing 59% on last week, with 20,804 head offered. Prices ranged between $80-$140/head, to average $117/head - back $10 on last week. Clearance rates for the category reached 18% following the immediate closure of the sale, with post-sale negotiations seeing clearance rise to 41%. From West Wylong, NSW, a line of 205 Border Leicester/Merino mixed sex store lambs, weighing 29kg lwt, returned $120/head
The Merino wether lamb category had a total of 11,032 head listed, easing 34% on last week. Registering the largest price increase across the lamb categories, the offering averaged $108/head – up $17. From Clare, SA, a line of 413 Poll Merino wether lambs, weighing 38kg lwt, returned $115/head.
First cross ewe lamb numbers eased 25% on last week, with a total of 4,866 head. The category averaged $182/head – increasing by $3 from last week with clearance reaching 36%. This week’s offering was boosted by the entire drop of Hazeldean first cross ewe lambs, offered over seven lots of 225 head. From Cooma, NSW, the lambs weighed 34kg lwt and returned $180/head to a mix of buyers from NSW and Victoria.
Composite/other breed lambs registered a 9,270 head offering – back 21% on last week. Averaging $105/head, post-sale negotiations facilitated a considerable lift in clearance rates for the category – reaching 77% in the 48 hours following the sale, up from just 6% on Tuesday. From Willaura, Victoria a line of 520 Composite mixed sex suckers, weighing 38kg lwt, returned $120/head to a buyer in NSW.
National Sheep Sales registered an offering of 32,638 head – accounting for 36% of the total weekly offering. Joined ewe numbers were the only category to lift for the week, with 7,038 head – up 30% on last week. Unjoined ewe numbers eased on last week, totaling 27,950 head. The reduced unjoined offering helped clearance rates, while prices remain mixed.
SM Merino ewes were the largest of the joined ewe categories, with 2,061 head offered - a 118% increase on last week. The spike in listings was greeted with mixed demand, as buyers sought quality, resulting in a subdued clearance rate as prices averaged $152/head. A small offering of SIL Merino ewes was met with strong demand, resulting in the 358 head reaching a 100% clearance and averaging $163/head – up $13.
NSM Merino ewe hoggets registered a total of 6,658 head – easing 49% on last week. Clearance rates reached 38% for the category, as buyers sought out quality lines ready for joining. Prices for the category averaged $193/head – easing $23 on last week. From Marnoo East, Victoria, a line of 258 Merino ewes ages 15-18-months, weighing 63kg lwt, returned $273/head - heading north to a buyer in NSW.
NSM Merino ewes registered the largest unjoined offering for the week, with 10,253 head – easing 10% on last week. The category registered a clearance of 68%, with prices averaging $189/head – up $14 on last week. Selling for $24 over reserve, a line of 300 Merino ewes from Dunedoo, NSW, aged 4.5-years-old, weighing 62kg lwt returned $224/head.
Unjoined first cross ewes were also subject to selective buying, with the 5,731 head offering averaging $241/head – increasing by $23 on last week, while clearance reached 33% - rising from 15% following the immediate close of sales on Tuesday.
Note: Prices as at 5pm, Thursday 1st December 2022
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