These first cross ewe hoggets and their lambs sold for $561 on AuctionsPlus last week.

These White Suffolk lambs helped their first cross mothers make $561 on AuctionsPlus last week.

FIRST cross ewes with lambs sold to a national record of $561 on AuctionsPlus last week.

The previous ewe-lamb record of $516 set online earlier this year was beaten by strong bidding for a line of 16-17 month-old first cross ewes at Gunning, New South Wales.

The 85 mid-April shorn ewes from Tolldale Gunning at ‘Neumeralla’ were assessed with 76mm fleeces and had 152 (178pc) 1-6 week-old White Suffolk cross lambs estimated at 16kgs liveweight.

AuctionsPlus offered 1212 ewes with lambs last week and sold 91.6 percent. Prices ranged from $256 to $561 and averaged $382.

Clearance rates improve

Clearance rates improved for a bigger offering of 141,023 sheep and lambs on AuctionsPlus last week, up 6901 head. Despite the increased supplies, the average clearance rate lifted 9.1pc to 76.4pc.

The weekly national lamb sale achieved a clearance rate of 91.7pc, despite a 13.9pc increase in the offering.

Not included in the total listing numbers for the week was an additional 8,099 head offered through the Benalla Annual First Cross Ewe 1st Cross Ewe Sale.

Merino ewe lambs sold for $75-$252, to average $175, achieving a clearance rate of 82.2pc for the 2679 head offered. The top price was paid by a local buyer for a line of unjoined October drop Merino ewe lambs with 20mm fleeces and weighing 42.1kgs from J.P. & N.L. McCormack at Crookwell, New South Wales.

Merino ewe hoggets make $335

Merino ewe hoggets sold from $163-$335 and averaged $255 for a clearance of 34.3pc of the 5929 head offered. The top price was paid for a line of unjoined 16-17 month-old Merino ewe hoggets weighing 57.6kgs from the Powell Livestock Partnership at Murringo, NSW. They sold to a buyer at Boorowa, NSW.

Young Merino ewes, 2-4 years-old, made $173 to $286 and averaged $243, with 85pc of the 7372 head offered selling. The top price was paid for a line of unjoined 2.4-2.5 year-old Merino ewes with weighing 63kg from Keynes Pastoral at Moculta in South Australia. They sold to a Kangaroo Island buyer.

Merino ewes, 4 years and older, sold from $161-$296, averaged $213 for a 69.3pc clearance rate. The top price was paid for a line of unjoined 2-5 year-old Merino ewes with 55mm fleeces and weighing 70.6kgs from Uungula Pastoral Co, at Wellington, NSW. They sold to a buyer at Ogunbil, NSW.

Merino wethers sold from $102 to $165 to average $136. The top price was paid for a line of 3-4.5 year-old Merino wethers with 35mm fleeces and weighing 59.8kg from Heather Brae Pastoral Co. at Inverell, NSW.

First cross ewe hoggets sell to $401

First cross ewe lambs sold from $193.50 to $372, to average $285, for a 78pc clearance rate for 2192 head. The top price was paid for a line of unjoined 10-12 month-old lambs that weighed 60.4kgs and with 55mm fleeces from K.C. & B.L. Jones at Trundle, NSW. They sold to a buyer at Blayney, NSW.

First cross ewe hoggets sold from $291 to $401 and averaging $363. The top price was paid for a line of unjoined 16-18 month-old ewe hoggets with 22mm fleeces and weighing 72.5kg from Tregothnan Park, at Ballan in Victoria.

Older first cross ewes sold from $237 to $290 and averaged $260. The top price was paid for a line of unjoined 3.5-4.5 year-old ewes with 70mm fleeces and weighting 77.1kgs from G.A. & R.L. Sambell at Harrow in Victoria.

Store lambs sold for up to $207 or 569c/kg liveweight for a mixed sex line of June/August 2020 drop mixed sex first crosses weighing 36kg lwt at Wee Waa in NSW.

Store lambs sold for up to $207 or 569c/kg liveweight for a mixed sex line of June/August 2020 drop mixed sex first crosses, 36kg, Border Leicester/Merino mixed sex lambs from Wee Waa NSW, sold for $207/head, or 569c.

Other notable lines sold included:

–              Aug/Sep 20’ drop, 21.5kg, White Suffolk/ Border Leicester/Merino mixed sex lambs from Fox SA, sold for $121/head, or 563c.

–              July/Oct 20’ drop, 25.5kg, White Suffolk/Composite mixed sex lambs from Bordertown SA, sold for $131/head, or 514c.

–              July/Aug 20’ drop, 29kg, Poll Dorset/ Composite mixed sex lambs from Chatsworth VIC, sold for $147/head, or 506c.

–              Aug/Sep 20’ drop, 29kg, Cashmore PD Terminal/Composite mix sex lambs from Simpson VIC, sold for $139/head, or 479c.