These August 2021 drop White Suffolk cross lambs weighing 44.7kg sold for $140 on AuctionsPlus at Mannus in NSW last week.

AUCTIONSPLUS has reported a continuing stalemate between online sheep and lamb sellers and potential buyers, with clearance rates remaining subdued for most categories.

AuctionsPlus commercial sheep and lamb offerings last week increased 14 percent to 44,314 head.

The traditional rhythm of the sheep and lamb market has become unbalanced in recent months, with rising costs, the ongoing wet conditions and lingering uncertainty weighing heavily on the sentiment of the market, the online saleyard has reported.

Average prices eased for the largest lamb categories – crossbreds and Merino wethers – but improved for scanned in-lamb Merino and first cross ewes, first cross ewe lambs, scanned in-lamb composite ewes and ewe-lamb units.

Most crossbred lambs sell at lower prices

The largest lamb category was crossbred lambs, with 4394 head. Post-auction negotiations lifted Tuesday sale clearance rate of 53pc to 87pc by late Thursday. Prices ranged from $96-$152 and averaged $124, $15 lower.

AuctionsPlus said Merino wether lambs sold to steady interest, with 59pc of the 3771 offered selling from $66-$35 to average $101, $11 lower. At Balmoral in south-west Victoria, 290 Merino wether lambs weighing 38.7kg liveweight sold for $118.

Lines of first cross ewe lambs sold from $155-$336 to average $262, up $106 on last week, for a 62pc clearance of the 1672 head offered. At Trangie in New South Wales, 127 11-12 month-old first cross ewe lambs weighing 63kg lwt made $336.

Fewer shedding and composite breed lambs were offered – 1050 – and these sold at firm rates. At Moree in northern NSW, 700 August-September 2021 drop mixed sex Corriedale lambs weighing 43.5kgs sold for $141.

Shedding breed ewes popular among sheep offering

AuctionsPlus said she sheep market experienced selective buying, with post-sale negotiations lifting clearance rates, particularly for the shedding breed offering.

The clearance rate for the 9072 scanned in-lamb Merino ewes rose from 24pc post-sale to 45pc by the end of the week. They sold from $100-$261 to average $193, $8 higher. At Coonabarabran in north-west NSW, 415 scanned in-lamb five year-old Merino ewes weighing 54.7kg and joined to White Suffolk rams sold for $185.

Demand was solid for the 5179 joined shedding breed ewes offered, albeit at a lower average price of $240, $192 down. The 72pc post-sale clearance rate rose to 94pc by late Thursday. At Ivanhoe in western NSW, 485 joined White Dorper ewe lambs weighing 43kgs sold for $265.

Steady interest for Merino wethers

There was steady interest for the 2100 Merino wethers offered, with 91pc selling for $118 -$125 to average $122.

AuctionsPlus said following a run of reduced offerings and limited buying activity, last week’s Thursday sheep sale trumped the Tuesday sale’s results, with a 94pc of the 1734 head offered. Sale numbers were boosted by the dispersal offering from A.W. & S.T. Thompson in central west NSW. The vendor told AuctionsPlus the national exposure and reduced competition were the main reasons behind holding Thursday’s sale.