SHEEP and lamb prices and clearance rates held firm on AuctionsPlus last week as the offering dropped in all states, and especially in New South Wales and Queensland.
The online saleyard platform offered 43,748 head, 8175 fewer than the previous week, but the overall clearance was steady at 74 percent.
AuctionsPlus said the influx of sheep into top national destination for online purchases — New South Wales’ Riverina region — and ewes with lambs comprised 85pc of the stock purchased.
Another stand-out result last week was the 100pc clearance of crossbred lambs and the accompanying 89cent/kg liveweight price jump on the previous week’s rates.
Merino ewe lambs sell to $214, hoggets to $232
Merino ewe lambs sold from $75 to $214 and averaged $135, steady on the previous week. The top price was paid for 300 June/July 2018 drop Goolgumbla blood lambs weighing 37kg live with a 6.25cm fleeceat Moulamein in NSW. A line of 420 August/September 2018 drop Glendamar blood ewes at Nyngan, NSW, sold for $212. The ewes weighed 45kgs and carried a 5cm fleece.
Merino ewe hoggets sold from $145 to $232 and averaged $181, down $15 on the previous week. The top price was paid for 435 22-23 month-old Hazeldean blood ewes scanned in-lamb at Galong in NSW. They carried a 5cm fleece, weighed 50kgs and were sold to a NSW buyer at Wagga Wagga. A line of 195 21-22 month-old scanned in-lamb ewes at Cassilis, NSW, sold for $219 to a NSW buyer at Bungendore. The ewes weighed 59kgs and had a 5cm fleece.
Merino wethers sell for $160
Merino wether lambs sold from $75 to $157 and averaged $120, firm on previous prices. (lot 284) The top price was paid by a Victorian buyer at Bendigo for 385 9-10 month-old Haddon Rig blood wether lambs at Scone, NSW. The wethers weighed 45kgs and had 2.5cm fleece skin. A line of rising 2 year-old wether hoggets at Cooma, NSW, sold for $160 to a buyer at Armidale. The hoggets weighed 46kgs and had a 7.cm fleece.
First cross ewes with lambs make $361
First cross ewe lambs sold from $138 to $252 and averaged $215 for a total clearance. The top price was paid for 225 unjoined July-August 2018 drop ewe lambs at Trangie, NSW. The ewes weighed 48kgs and were sold to a buyer at Wagga, NSW. A line of 144 4-5 year-old first cross ewes with 207 lambs sold for $361. The ewes weighed 67kgs and their 3-9 week-old Poll Dorset cross lambs averaged 20kgs.
New season trade lambs and goats coming in online
AuctionsPlus said 2019-drop trade lambs are starting to flow into the online market. Last week 720 Merino and Merino/Dohne cross trade wether lambs at Mount Gambier in South Australia sold for 820c/kg carcase weight or $184 on farm. The lambs weighed 49kgs and were purchased by a processor.
The goat market continues to stoke buyer interest as more goats were listed online last week. A line of 111 Dunauman Park blood Boer cross Rangeland young breeder goat does sold for $140 at Goondiwinidi, Queensland. These 9-10 month-old does weighed 31kgs live.
Supply pressure on heavier lambs has fed down into the store lamb market this week, seeing a jump in prices. Numbers also increased with 3324 head offered, 1,115 more than last week, highlights include:
- Feb/Mar-19 drop, 35kg White Dorper mixed sex lambs from THALLON, Queensland, sold for $141/427c
- Mar/Apr-19 drop, 34kg Poll Dorset x Border Leicester/Merino mixed sex suckers from WELLINGTON, New South Wales, sold for $180.5/539c
- Dec/Jan-18 drop, 33kg Poll Dorset x Border Leicester/Merino mixed sex store lambs from TRUNDLE, New South Wales, sold for $158/494c
- Aug/Sep-18 drop, 32kg SAMM/SAMM mixed sex lambs from WHITE CLIFFS, New South Wales, sold for $110.5/365c
- Aug-18 drop, 29kg Dohne/Dohne wethers from STOCKYARD HILL, Victoria, sold for $104/367c
- Sep/Oct-18 drop, 44kg Hampshire Down/Samm mixed sex trade lambs from YORK PLAINS, Tasmania sold for $151/354c
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