Originally Published 01.06.2022 - Updated 03.06.2022
The largest week of commercial sheep and lamb sales since the first week of April, up 32% on the previous week, at 68,724 head, was met with mixed results, delivering no clear trend. While crossbred and first cross ewe lambs averaged higher at the close of the auctions, both main Merino categories were back, as composite/other breeds registered a 100% clearance rate.
With a cold blast hitting the southern states, buyer interest was again mixed throughout the week, as post-auction negotiations lifted clearance rates as the week progressed. Composite lambs remained in strong demand, while most of the proven joined lines took a step back.
The largest lamb category for the week was crossbreds, with 15,928 head offered. The 55% clearance rate at the immediate conclusion of Tuesdays sale, lifted to 69% by late Thursday, as prices averaged $6 higher on last week, at $147/head. A line of 500 White Suffolk/Merino mixed sex lambs weighing 46kg lwt from Canowindra, NSW, returned the top price for the category at $188/head.
Both Merino lamb categories took a step back this week, with wether lambs down $7 on last week, at $124/head, while ewe lambs slipped $29 lower, to $203/head. From Kiata, Victoria a line Aug/Sep ’21 drop Poll Merino wether lambs weighing 52kg lwt returned $160/head and will travel to Bordertown, SA.
First cross ewe lambs averaged $13 higher for the week, at $237, ranging from $177-$282/head - the 3,811 head offered sold to a 57% clearance rate. Totaling 1,791 head, composite lambs sold to a 100% clearance, with average prices slipping $21 on last week, to $151/head. From Hordern Vale, Victoria, a large run consisting of 700 mixed sex composite lambs weighing 34kg lwt, returned $150/head.
It was a very mixed breeding ewe market this week, with some low clearance rates and price falls through the smaller, populated lines. SIL Merino ewes, with 10,585 head offered finished the auction on Tuesday with a 60% clearance rate, which lifted to 69% by weeks end – averaging $15 higher, at $235/head. Selling $100 above reserve was a line of 95, 20-21-month-old Merino ewes, weighing 53kg lwt from Willaura, Victoria, which returned $324/head.
SIL first cross ewes slipped $2 lower at the closure of the sale, averaging $332 – with the subdued 38% clearance rate at the immediate end of the auction lifting to 54% by late Thursday, with a total of 9,059 head presented.
A highlight for the SIL shedding breed ewe category included 296 head of SIL Australian White ewes split across four lots from Kingscote, SA. Aged 10-11-months old and weighing 45kg lwt, all lots returned $614/head and will travel to Berrima, NSW.
From Forbes, NSW, a line of 9-month-old Merino ewe lambs weighing 43.7kg lwt returned $254/head to a buyer in Benalla, Victoria.
NOTE: Prices as at 5pm, Thursday 2nd June 2022
%203.6.22.png?width=783&name=AuctionsPlus%20Market%20Comments%20Sheep%20and%20Lamb%20offerings%20(no.%20head)%203.6.22.png)
Lorem Ipsum is simply dummy text of the printing and typesetting industry. Lorem Ipsum has been the industry's standard dummy text ever since the 1500s
