These 17-18 month-old composite ewes sold for $203 at Kalangadoo, SA, on AuctionsPlus last week.

A BIG weekly sheep and lamb offering has clinched a record monthly result for online saleyard AuctionsPlus.

AuctionsPlus sheep and lamb numbers increased by 11,628 to 85,559 last week, bringing the November total to 341,791 head – a monthly record for the online platform.

High numbers of Merino ewes were offered on AuctionsPlus last week, market operations officer Emily Porter said. The 1-2 year-old Merino ewes averaged $141 and the top price of $200 was paid for 800 16-18-month-old unjoined ewes at Hay in New South Wales. The mid-May shorn ewes weighed 59.3kg lwt and were mostly score 3 in condition. The same vendor sold a line of 3-year-old Merino ewes that made $173 with a Victorian buyer.

Slightly older 4-5 year-old Merino ewes averaged $146, with strong bidding activity supporting the high numbers offered, Ms Porter said. The top line of 185 rising five-year old early November shorn ewes came from Tarcombe, Victoria, south west of Euroa. The 20 micron Boorambil blood ewes weighed 59.1kg, were mostly score 2, and made $180.50. Proven breeders averaged $108.

Merino wether lamb numbers were also high online last week. AuctionsPlus has seen an increased growth in lamb numbers, potentially due to better seasons with high lambing percentages, Ms Porter said. Lambs averaged $96, with a line of 475 6-7-month-old mid-October shorn Rosebank blood wethers making $109. These were sold at Mount Pleasant in South Australia, had good clean skins, weighed 19.7 kg cwt and were mostly score 2. Merino wether hoggets averaged $96 and grown wethers averaged $79.

Ms Porter said first cross ewe numbers were down last week, especially the proven breeder offering. However, first cross ewe lamb numbers were strong and they averaged $165. The top line at Kyeamba, south east of Wagga Wagga in NSW, made $196. The late-October shorn ewes weighed 46kg lwt and were mostly score 4. The same vendor sold another 1360 first cross ewe lambs for $166-$186.

A small line of 94 17-18 month-old first cross ewes at Murchinson in northern Victoria sold for $223.50 last week. The early-June shorn ewes averaging 59.7kg lwt, were mostly score 3, and ready to join. The same vendor sold another 138 53.3kg score 2 first cross ewes for $220.

An offering of 12 2-3 year-old Farrer blood White Suffolk stud ewes sold for $350. A line of 37 2.5 year-old Australian White-first cross bred ewes and with 53 1-3 month-old AW lambs at Orange, NSW made $290.

More than 10,000 composite ewes in south-west Victoria and South Australia were offered in the Cashmore Oaklea ewe sale on Thursday December 1. Ewe lambs sold to $175 and averaged $144. Ewes sold to $227 and averaged $173. The sale had 74 active bidders with 73 guest viewers and an 89 percent clearance rate.

These June-August drop composite wether lambs, 16.9kg cwt and score 2, sold for $115.50 at Pigeon Ponds in Victoria on AuctionsPlus last week.

Store lambs weighing 25-27kg lwt sold for $74.50-$105.50 and averaging $91 online last week, the 28-30kg lambs made $85-$95.50 averaging $92, and the 31-33kg lines sold for $98.50-$108.50 and averaged $102.50. The 34-36kg lambs made $91-$113 and averaged $105, 37-39kg lines sold from $70-$112 to average $104, and 40-42kg lambs made $105-$115.50 for an average of $111.

NLRS indicators edge slightly lower

After Friday’s saleyard sales, the National Livestock Reporting Service’s Eastern States Daily Indicators for lambs were either firm or slightly lower, with only light and Merino lambs recording increases for the past week. The lamb ESDIs, their daily and weekly changes, were: restocker, 625c/kg, no change, nc; Merino 505c/kg, down 1 cent, up 13c; light 577c/kg, nc, up 12c; trade 527c/kg, down 1c, down 5c; heavy 519c/kg, down 2c, down 3c. The ESDI for mutton finished the week at 398c/kg, down 1 cent for the week and 1 cent for the week.

Cowra lambs firm to cheaper

In New South Wales at the Cowra saleyards on Friday, the agents yarded 5650 lambs, 1130 fewer than last week, and 1280 sheep, 190 less.

The NLRS said lamb quality was generally good, with the shorn new season lambs showing top condition. Mainly trade weights were penned, along with a handy run of heavy weights and more store lambs.

All the usual buyers operated, except for one. Competition was sound resulting in a firm to only slightly cheaper market.

Light lambs sold to processors averaged $111. Store lambs made $100-$113. Medium and heavy trade weight new season lambs were firm to $4 easier and averaged 545c/kg cwt. Most of the heavy trade weights sold from $125-$130. Heavy weight new season lambs were $4 cheaper to average 520c-540c/kg. A few pens of extra heavy weight lambs sold from $150-$157.

Sheep quality was mixed. Medium 3 score Merino ewes were $9 cheaper and averaged $78 or 335c/kg. Heavy first cross ewes were $1 cheaper and averaged $102 or 325c/kg. Heavy Merino wethers sold to $114, or 370c/kg.

Griffith lambs $2-$5 cheaper

At the Griffith saleyards on Friday, the agents yarded 13345 lambs, 1566 fewer than last week, and 741 sheep, 859 less.

The NLRS said the number of lambs reduced with the beginning of the harvest season. Most of the yarding was trade and heavy lambs, with a few extra heavy lambs in good condition. Quality varied across all categories. There were large drafts of Dorper lambs and hoggets.

Most of the usual buyers attended the market that trended $2-$5 cheaper overall. The medium and heavy trade lambs sold from $102-$115. Heavy lambs made $122-$145 and extra heavy lambs sold to $170. Carcase prices averaged 520-545c/kg. The best of the hoggets sold to $134.

Mutton quality varied and most categories sold firm. There were several pens of heavy Merino ewes in longer wool. Medium weight ewes sold from $73-$105. Heavy Merinos reached $130, and most others made 380-400c/kg.

Shepparton’s heavy lambs cheaper

At the Shepparton saleyards on Friday, the agents yarded 2500 lambs, 660 more than last week, and 800 sheep, 200 fewer.

The NLRS said lamb quality was very mixed, with most full wool lambs showing dryness and some seed damage in skins. Many smaller pen lots of less than 20 head were offered, as the final drafts of unshorn lambs are sold from the area.

The market was cheaper, particularly for heavier lambs over 24kg c/wt. Quality was partly to blame, but buying support was also weaker, as the regular export order that operates at Shepparton was absent. Some of the usual domestic orders also did not operate.

Prices for heavy young lambs ranged from $125-$140, with these pens trending below 500c/kg. Most of the trade weight lambs sold to slaughter made $114-$122 at fluctuating carcase rates, depending on quality. Store lambs under 16kg cwt were also cheaper at $68-$90 and bigger framed lambs made $99-$114.

A line of 100 young October shorn Merino ewes sold to a local restocker for $190. A selection of heavy crossbred ewes, displaying plenty of weight and fat cover, made $105-$120-slaughter.

Sources: NLRS, MLA, AuctionsPlus.