Originally published 3 May 2022, Updated 6 May 2022
The first week of May had commercial sheep and lamb numbers back 11% on last week, to total 55,470 head. Mixed results were realised across the board following the immediate close of the Tuesday commercial auction, as buyers largely remained selective on weight, age, quality, and bloodline. Clearance rates reached 73% by late Thursday afternoon, as post sale negotiations kicked into gear as the impact of additional rain brought more buyers to the table.
The National Lamb Sale had a total of 19,542 head offered across 66 lots. Lambs from southwest Victoria accounted for a large proportion of the catalogue, with 9,432 head listed from the region. Prices across the lamb categories remained firm overall, with small price reductions across crossbred and composite categories.
Crossbred lambs averaged $150/head this week - easing $16 from last week, with clearance rates reaching 87% across the 5,017 head offered. From Boorowa NSW, a line of 260 White Suffolk mixed sex store wether lambs weighing 43kg lwt returned $173/head.
Merino wether lambs had a total of 5,508 head offered, which met selective buying, as clearance rates following the immediate close of the auction reached 39%. However post sale negotiations forced clearance rates higher, rounding out the week at 60%. Prices for the category slipped back $12 on last week to average $121, with prices ranging from $98-$150/head.
First cross ewe lambs registered the largest price rise across the lamb categories this week - up $28 to average $202/head. The offering of 3,184 head reached a clearance of 85%.
Composite/other breed lambs averaged $154/head this week – easing back $1 week-on-week across the 5,678 head offered. Clearance rates for the category were robust, reaching 95%. A highlight for the category included three even lines of composite mixed sex store lambs from Branxholme, Victoria, with the 2,250 head strong listing averaging 29.5kg lwt and returning $145/head.
The National Sheep Sale consisted of 206 lots this week, with a total of 33,524 head listed. The NSW Central West had the largest throughput for the sale, with 6,693 head offered. Joined ewes accounted for 44% of the weekly offering, with 23,202 head.
SIL Merino ewes averaged $228/head - up $24 from last week. Initial clearance following the close of the Tuesday sheep sale reached 39%, however post sale negotiations saw this figure rise to 62% across the 7,476 head offered. Station mated Merino ewes followed a similar trajectory for the week, with prices increasing $44 from last week, to average $177/head. Clearance rates reached 65% post auction, with negotiations in the following 48 hours raising the figure to 83% across the 4,405 head offered.
SIL composite/other breed ewes accounted for 10% of the total offering this week, with 5,332 head. Demand for the category was robust, with the category reaching a clearance of 97% as prices averaged $284/head - up $6. From Chiltern Victoria, a line of 100 composite SIL ewes aged 20 months, weighing 82kg lwt, returned $360/head.
Unjoined ewe categories accounted for 18% of listings, with 10,226 head. NSM Merino ewe hoggets and ewes both registered a drop in demand and price this week, as selective buying was prominent across the offering with both categories registering a clearance of 26% and 46%, respectively. Merino ewe hoggets eased $4 on last week, to average $178/head, while Merino ewes eased $61 to average $121/head.
Composite/other breed ewes had the largest offering across the unjoined ewe categories, with 3,265 head offered. Prices rose $12 on last week to average $167/head, with clearance reaching 28%.
NOTE: Prices as at 5pm, Thursday 5th May 2022
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