Markets

AuctionsPlus sheep and lamb offerings lift from NSW and southern QLD

Sheep Central, April 8, 2019

AUCTIONSPLUS sheep and lamb numbers increased slightly last week, helped by bigger offerings from central Victoria and southern Queensland.

The online saleyard offered 35,563 sheep and lambs last week, up 1713.

Central Western New South Wales producers dominated the national offering again with more 7000 head listed for sale, and the listing from central Victoria increased by 81 percent and from southern Queensland by 129pc.

New South Wales offered 21,138 sheep and lambs, up 3803, and Queensland listed 3799 head, up 1020. Victorian producers offered 8635 head, down 2141, and the South Australian offering dropped 495 to 1640 and Tasmania listed 351 head, down 474.

AuctionsPlus said central Western NSW buyers drove bidding activity to purchase 27pc of the catalogue, and lifting prices locally and for the QLD, NSW and Victorian offerings. The major NSW buying regions were the central west, 8127 head; Riverina, 5309; south west slopes and plains, 3532; southern tablelands, 2027, and; the Monaro, 1538. Northern Victorian buyers bought 1908 head. Demand eased in southern and western Queensland with only erratic rainfall in those regions.

Fiercer competition for Merino wethers

AuctionsPlus said wool-driven competition was fiercer for a lower listing of 7241 Merino wether and wether lambs and all stock listed were sold. NSW and Queensland buyers led the market, while prices further south eased week-on-week.

Wether lambs averaged $112, up $18 on last week and ranging from $61.50 to $126. The top price was paid for 766 Hazeldean blood 7-8 month-old store wether lambs, weighing 43kgs and with a 2.5cm fleece, offered by Romani Pastoral Co at Cootamundra in NSW.

Grown wethers sold from $50 to $141 and averaged $99, down $6. The top price was paid for 840 17-19 month-old wethers from M.J. & K.J. Davies at Coonabarabran, NSW. The wethers weighed 48kg and had a 6.5cm fleece.

Merino ewe offering limited

The Merino ewe lamb offering on AuctionsPlus remained low for the second consecutive week as vendors look to hold on to their young breeding stock.

The unjoined Merino ewe price average eased $22 to $108, from a range of $41 to $155. Buyers showed a preference for ewes with more wool. The top price was paid for 204 scanned empty 1-2 year-old ewes, weighing 52kgs with a 6.5cm fleece. The line was offered by L. & C. Nalder of Coonamble, NSW.

Joined Merino ewes averaged $170, up $16 on last week, and sold from $131 to $236. The top price was paid for 244 22-23 month-old ewes joined to Southdown and Southdown-Poll Dorset rams from Stratherne South Enterprises at Rennie, NSW. The ewes averaged 57kgs and had a 6.5cm fleece.

Demand eased for first cross ewe lambs

First cross ewe numbers lifted last week to 5465 head on AuctionsPlus last week, with listings in NSW and Victoria. Demand for first cross ewe lambs eased slightly, yielding a 54pc clearance, but prices remained steady, ranging from $140 to $250 to average $172. The top price was paid for 205 11-12 month-old 56kg lambs from JBM AG at Wellington, NSW.  for their line of 205 lambs, aged 11 to 12 months and weighing 56kgs.

Demand for joined first cross ewes was stronger and 86pc of the offering was sold. Prices ranged from $149 to $287, and averaged $213, up $25 on the previous week. The top price was paid for 150 18-24 month-old ewes weighing 57kgs scanned in-lamb to Poll Dorset rams. The line was offered by M.M. Ryan of Cowra, NSW.

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