While it’s well understood that assessing a larger proportion of a mob takes more time, recent analysis shows that sampling around 25% of the mob delivers a clear return on investment, proving the “juice is worth the squeeze”.
One of the main features of the AuctionsPlus selling platform is the individual weights provided on each offered line in the weekly commercial sales. To be eligible to be sold through AuctionsPlus, an assessed line of sheep and lambs requires a minimum of 10% to be assessed and weighed, while for cattle it is 50%.
Comparatively, the number of sheep offered in a line is often considerably larger than cattle, which makes assessing a larger sample size more time consuming.
However, analysing sales data from January 2020 to November 2025, AuctionsPlus have found that buyers consistently place higher values on lines that have a greater portion of the mob assessed.
Across the platform, most categories begin to see a meaningful financial lift once 25% or more of the mob is assessed. The following four categories demonstrate the most significant premiums that vendors can unlock by increasing their sample size.
In 2025, lots assessed at less than 25% averaged $223/head, delivering $83/head above reserve.
Those assessed at 25% or more averaged $243/head, which was around $20/head higher, and returned $58/head over reserve.
Looking over the past five years, mobs with 25%+ assessed averaged $213/head, while those with less than 25% averaged $198/head – a $15/head premium for higher assessment rates.
For context, a mob of 500 First Cross Ewe Lambs with 25% assessed (125 head) at $213/head would return $106,500 – delivering about $7,500 more than a similar line with a lower sampling rate.
Buyers continue to pay more for well-sampled first cross ewe lambs, though vendors and agents also tend to set firmer reserves on these lots. The data shows that for First Cross Ewe Lambs, increasing assessment beyond 25% doesn't necessarily grow the premium over reserve, but it does allow vendors to set a more confident reserve while still achieving stronger $/head outcomes.
Merino ewe lambs show the most reliable benefit from sampling more than 25% of the mob. From 2020–25, every year with >25% assessed recorded both higher prices and higher premiums over reserve.
In 2025:
<25% assessed: $147/head, $21/head above reserve
>25% assessed: $167/head, $35/head above reserve
That’s $20/head more in sale price and $14/head more above reserve when more than a quarter of the lambs are weighed. For Merinos, larger samples genuinely drive stronger competition and a bigger margin over reserve – not just a higher reserve price.
Shedding ewes have shown some of the biggest returns for high sampling rates.
Across the past five years:
<25% assessed: $196/head, $17/head above reserve
≥25% assessed: $227/head, $40/head above reserve
On average, assessing more than a quarter of the mob has added about $32/head to the sale price and $23/head to the premium over reserve.
It’s also important to recognise that market conditions play a role. In stronger markets, when restocker demand is high and competition lifts naturally, the gap between minimal and more extensive assessments tends to narrow. This was particularly evident during the market downturn in 2023.
Across 2020–25:
<25% assessed: $175/head, $25/head above reserve
≥25% assessed: $193/head, $27/head above reserve
So far in 2025:
<25% assessed: $184/head, $27/head above reserve
≥25% assessed: $235/head, $32/head above reserve
That translates to a $51/head lift in price and $5/head more above reserve when more than 25% of the mob is assessed.
Additionally, AuctionsPlus Integrity Lead, Chloe Pike, says the more stock you weigh and handle, the greater confidence buyers can have in the assessment - particularly when there’s variation within the mob.
"The more you weigh, the more confident you, your vendor and the buyer should be that the lot that turns up is going to match the assessment," Ms Pike said.
"The more variation, the more you should handle – especially for traits such as horn status, burr and seed, wool length, fat score and dentition."