Commercial sheep and lamb listings on AuctionsPlus lifted significantly this week to 77,636 head after a string of disrupted weeks has impacted offerings. The return to a full trading week saw more normal market activity and resulted in clearance rates rising 11 percentage points to 56%. While value over reserve (VOR) also increased by $3 on last week to $10. However, prices for most categories were lower, suggesting that vendors have adjusted reserves lower.
Table 1: AuctionsPlus National Weekly Sheep and Lamb Prices
Link 2: National Lamb Sale Results
Link 3: Tuesday National Sheep Sale Results
Crossbred lambs registered 19,472 head and averaged $98/head – erasing last week’s gains to fall $25. Prices ranged from $55 - $143 and the clearance rate reached 83%. From Walcha, NSW, a line of 639 Oct/Nov 22’ drop White Suffolk/Composite first cross mixed sex lambs weighing 40kg lwt sold for $124/head to a Central West buyer.
A total of 7,019 Merino wether lambs were offered with 53% selling for an average of $69/head. Prices fell $11 from last week while c/kg prices also fell by 22c to return 192c/kg lwt. From Joel South, Victoria, a line of 127 Aug 22’ drop Merino wether lambs returned the joint highest price of $105/head while also exceeding the reserve price by $30. These store wether lambs averaged 44kg lwt and will travel interstate to a buyer from Loxton, SA.
SIL Merino ewes totalled 11,800 head with prices ranging in value from $110 - $230 and averaged $151/head – rising $10 on last week for a 40% clearance rate. From Horsham, Victoria, two even lines of 160 Merino SIL ewes returned the top price of $230/head, while both lines exceeded the reserve by an impressive $70. These Merino ewes are rising-two-years old, average 57kg lwt, are Roseville Park blood and are SIL to Yendora White Suffolk rams.
Shedding breed ewes registered 2,169 head, with prices ranging from $110 - $274 and averaging $151 – rising $21 from last week. Selective buyers operating on the shedding breed ewe articles were present throughout the sale, evident by the 34% clearance rate returned. From Bathurst NSW, a line of 13 Australian White ewe hoggets returned the top price of $274/head. These ewe hoggets are 22 months of age, average 60kg lwt and will remain locally in the Central West.
Note: Prices as at 5pm Thursday, 4th May 2023
Table 1: AuctionsPlus National Weekly Sheep and Lamb Prices