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AuctionsPlus sheep and lamb offerings drop with market prices

Terry Sim, December 5, 2022

SUBDUED market conditions prompted sheep producers to drop online offerings last week, with AuctionsPlus offering 90,115 head, 37 percent fewer than the previous week.

Post-sale negotiations in the 48 hours following auctions continued to facilitate a considerable lift in clearance rates in sheep and lamb categories, while the average value above reserve lifted week-on-week; reaching $9.

South-west Victoria again led the listings, with the region offering 21,073 head. Central western New South Wales’ 21,168 head, and the Riverina’s 6199 head, were the next biggest offerings. The Riverina was the largest purchasing region, securing 5030 head, followed by central western NSW, with 4892 head.

The National Lamb Sale had 56,121 head listed across 164 lots, and accounted for 63pc of the weekly offering. Prices across three of the five lamb categories eased. Average prices for Merino wether lambs and first cross ewe lamb prices were higher week-on-week. Clearance rates remained subdued as market sentiment followed a similar path to recent weeks. Post-sale negotiations doubled the clearance rate to 43pc.

Crossbred lamb numbers registered a sharp drop in listings this week – easing 59pc, with 20,804 head offered. Prices ranged between $80-$140/head, to average $117/head, back $10. Clearance rates for the category reached 18pc following the immediate closure of the sale, with post-sale negotiations seeing clearance rise to 41pc. At West Wylong, NSW, 205 Border Leicester/Merino mixed sex store lambs, weighing 29kg lwt, returned $120/head

The Merino wether lamb category had a total of 11,032 head listed, easing 34pc. Registering the largest price increase across the lamb categories, the offering averaged $108/head – up $17. From Clare, SA, a line of 413 Poll Merino wether lambs, weighing 38kg lwt, returned $115/head.

First cross ewe lamb numbers eased 25pc to 4866 head. The category averaged $182/head – increasing by $3 with the clearance reaching 36pc. This week’s offering was boosted by the entire drop of Hazeldean first cross ewe lambs, offered over seven lots of 225 head. At Cooma, NSW, the lambs weighed 34kg lwt and returned $180/head to a mix of buyers from NSW and Victoria.

The composite/other breed lambs offering of 9270 head was back 21pc. Averaging $105/head, post-sale negotiations facilitated a considerable lift in clearance rates for the category – reaching 77pc in the 48 hours following the sale, up from just 6% on Tuesday. At Willaura, Victoria a line of 520 Composite mixed sex suckers, weighing 38kg lwt, returned $120/head to a buyer in NSW.

National Sheep Sales registered an offering of 32,638 head – accounting for 36pc of the total weekly offering. Joined ewe numbers were the only category to lift for the week, with 7038 head – up 30pc on last week. Unjoined ewe numbers eased on last week, totaling 27,950 head. The reduced unjoined offering helped clearance rates, while prices remain mixed.

SM Merino ewes were the largest of the joined ewe categories, with 2,061 head offered – a 118pc increase. The spike in listings was greeted with mixed demand, as buyers sought quality, resulting in a subdued clearance rate as prices averaged $152/head. A small offering of SIL Merino ewes was met with strong demand, resulting in the 358 head reaching a 100pc clearance and averaging $163/head – up $13.

NSM Merino ewe hoggets registered a total of 6,658 head – easing 49pc. Clearance rates reached 38pc for the category, as buyers sought out quality lines ready for joining. Prices for the category averaged $193/head – easing $23 on last week. From Marnoo East, Victoria, a line of 258 Merino ewes ages 15-18 months, weighing 63kg lwt, returned $273/head – heading north to a buyer in NSW.

NSM Merino ewes registered the largest unjoined offering for the week, with 10,253 head – easing 10pc on last week. The category registered a clearance of 68pc, with prices averaging $189/head – up $14 on last week. Selling for $24 over reserve, a line of 300 Merino ewes from Dunedoo, NSW, aged 4.5-years-old, weighing 62kg lwt returned $224/head.

Unjoined first cross ewes were also subject to selective buying, with the 5,731 head offering averaging $241/head – increasing by $23 on last week, while clearance reached 33pc – rising from 15pc following the immediate close of sales on Tuesday.

Note: Prices as at 5pm, Thursday 1st December 2022

Source – AuctionsPlus.

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