FIRST cross ewes lambs sold to $297 as buyer competition remained strong for a reduced number of sheep and lambs on AuctionsPlus last week.

The online auction platform attracted 338 bidders for the 28,017 head listed and a clearance rate of 85 percent was achieved.

Merino ewe lambs this week averaged $129 and topped at $183. This top price went to a line of woolly June 2016 drop Kedleston blood ewe lambs, weighing 47kg from Elmore, Victoria.

Young Merino breeder ewes averaged $152 and topped at $232. This top price went to a line of 23 month-old ewes from Tintinara, South Australia. The ewes weighed 61kg, with a 7.5cm fleece and were joined to white and black Suffolk rams.

Mixed aged Merino ewes averaged $156 and topped at $183. The top price was paid for a line of 3 to 7 year old ewes from Naracoorte, SA. These ewes weighed 63kg with a 4cm fleece and had also been scanned in lamb to Suffolk and White Suffolk rams.

Proven Merino breeders averaged $144. The top price of $186.50 was paid for a line of 5.5-6 year-old Roemahkita blood ewes from Kadina, SA. The ewes weighed 74kg and had been scanned in lamb to White Sufflok rams.

Merino wether lamb numbers sold strongly last week and averaged $115. The top price of $135.50. was paid for a line of August to September 2016 drop, Kerin Poll blood wether lambs from Bourke, New South Wales. These lambs weighed 38kg and had a 7.5cm fleece.

Store lambs weighing 27-31kg made $125-$130.50 and averaged $128.50 or 436c/kg lwt, the 36-40kg lambs made $105.50-$138.5 and averaged $127 or 340c/kg lwt.

First cross ewe lambs averaged $252 made to $297. The top price was paid for a line of May to June 2016 drop lambs from Millicent, SA. The ewe weighed 52kg lwt and were scanned in lamb to Suffolk rams.

Young first cross breeders averaged $199. The top price of $231 was paid for a line of 20-21 month-old ewes from Boorowa, NSW. These ewes weighed 59kg and had been scanned in lamb to Poll Dorset rams.

Another stand-out line lastweek was a line of 9-10 month old Cashmore Oakley blood Composite ewe lambs from Lucindale, SA, that sold for $281. These ewes weighed 51kg lwt and had been scanned in lamb to composite rams.

The Tasmanian sheep sale this week had a huge listing of 3,468 head listed over 14 lots. White Suffolk cross mixed sex lambs, weighing 53kg from Avoca sold for $166. Also a line of Corriedale wether lambs, August to September 2016 drop, weighing 53kg from Woodbury sold for $15

Source: AuctionsPlus.