Scanned in-lamb first cross ewes at Naracoorte SA sold for $310 on AuctionsPlus last week.

SCANNED in-lamb first cross ewes sold to $310 on AuctionsPlus last week, as the weekly online commercial sheep and lamb offering fell by 20,409 to 30,083 head.

AuctionsPlus said the shortened week due to the Easter break could be to blame for the decreased sheep and lamb numbers. There was an 81 percent clearance rate.

A stand-out line of 111 two year-old mid-September shorn first cross ewes from Naracoorte, South Australia, sold for an impressive $310. The ewes were scanned 100pc in lamb to White Suffolk and Poll Dorset rams, weighed 68.5kg lwt and were mostly score 3 in condition.

A line of 179 two year-old late-August shorn Poll Merino ewes from Coreen, New South Wales, sold for $221.  The 55.3kg score 2 ewes scanned 100pc in lamb to Border Leicester rams. Merino ewes sold from $91.50 to $221 last week.

AuctionsPlus said ewe and lamb numbers were back last week, which could indicate producers are wanting to retain ewe numbers to build back their flock sizes. A small line of 77 3-4 year-old joined White Dorper ewes with lambs from Young, NSW, made $215. The ewes are joined to Australian White rams and had 60 sappy Australian White lambs averaging 33kg lwt.

Online lamb numbers down

These Poll Dorset lambs at Beechworth, Victoria, 17.9kg cwt and score 3, sold for $143 on AuctionsPlus last week.

AuctionsPlus said lamb numbers were significantly down last week, with the natural seasonal downturn in numbers, but some older season lambs have been selling well. A line of 400 8-9 month-old mixed sex export weight Corriedale lambs from Oatlands in southern Tasmanian sold for $163. The late-January shorn lambs weighed 24kg cwt and were mostly score 3.

Store lambs sold to $143 online last week, for a line of 280 7-8 month-old early-February shorn Poll Dorset cross lambs, 17.9kg cwt and mostly score 3, at Beechworth in Victoria. The 40-42kg lwt lambs ranged from $135.50-$143 and averaged $139.

Other store lambs weighing 27kg lwt made to $107.50, the 32-34kg lwt lambs sold from $105.50-$137 to average $128, and the 37-39kg lines made $121-$140.50, averaging $135.

Merino wethers sold from $95-$130, with the top price being paid for lambs at Savernake, NSW and Keyneton, SA. The 234 10-11-month-old mid-November shorn Poll Merino wethers at Savernake weighed 17.2kg cwt and were mostly score 2. The 189 7-9-month-old mid-February shorn Merino wethers at Keyneton were Nyowee and Bunyara bloodlines, weighed 17.6kg cwt and were mostly score 2.

The Detpa Grove White Suffolk Mated Ewe Sale was interfaced online via AuctionsPlus this week with eight lots purchased online. The top-priced lots 3 and 31 made $3600. The sale had 16 online bidders and 21 guests viewing the sale.

This week’s Seedstock Sheep Sale (Milton Park Suffolk) had ten lots offered with six lots selling. The Suffolk rams sold for $560 to NSW buyers.

Source: AuctionsPlus.