These early October Hampshire Down cross lambs, 17.9kg cwt and mostly score 2 and 3, sold for $102.50 at Euroa, Victoria, on AuctionsPlus last week.

STORE lamb offerings online increased last week as more Victorian and New South Wales producers listed lambs on AuctionsPlus.

AuctionsPlus market operations supervisor Anna Adams said sheep and lamb numbers jumped up by 12,000 this week to total 61,948 head.

She said store lamb offerings in Victoria, and central and western NSW dominated listings last week and strong buyer support resulted in excellent clearance rates.

“We are just getting stronger and stronger support from the south – people are seeing the benefit in selling their store lambs this way.”

This trend is expected to continue this week, with about 50,000 sheep and lambs due to be offered, plus about 11,000 lambs in the North East Victorian Lamb Backgrounder and Finisher sale tomorrow.

Ms Adams said store lamb prices showed little movement on last week, with variation of a couple of dollars up or down within weight brackets.

The 28-30 kg lwt lambs made $76-$95, 31-33 kg lambs sold from $80.50-$95.50, the 34-35 kg lines made $81-$98 and 36-37kg lambs sold for $79.50-$106.50. The 38-39kg lines made $90.50-$108.50 and the heaviest lambs weighing 40-42kg sold from $97.50-$108.

The top-priced terminal lambs of the week were 560 mid-November shorn Suffolk and White Suffolk lambs at Kingscote on Kangaroo Island weighing 17kg cwt that sold for $108.50.

Merino wether lamb prices eased slightly to average $67, down $2 on last week They sold from $32.50 up to $83 for 240 unshorn May-July drop Merino lambs at Mansfield in Victoria that were mostly score 2 at 16.6kg cwt. Merino wether hoggets sold from $55-$88.50 and older wethers sold to $115.50 for a line of 355 late December shorn 2-7 year-olds at Marulan in New South Wales that weighed 19.1kg cwt.

While not unusual for this time of year, not a single line of joined or scanned ewes were sold this week, Ms Adams said. Young Merino ewes sold from $67 to a top of $125.50 for 1-1.5 year-old mid-September shorn Tameleuka blood hoggets at Broken Hill, NSW, weighing 54.7kg lwt. Proven breeders made $81-$112 and aged ewes sold from $65-$112.50.

First cross ewes were sought after this week, with February-March drop early October drop lambs at Goulburn, NSW, weighing 47.3kg lwt and mostly score 2 and 3, selling for $165.50. Maidens made from $134.50 to a top of $211 for 13.5-15 month-old late October shorn ewes at Bowning in southern NSW. Proven breeders sold from $113-$181.

Unshorn composite ewe lambs, July-August drop, mostly score 3 and 45.6kg lwt, at Wallendbeen in NSW sold for $167.

NLRS indicators generally firm on Friday

After Friday’s saleyard sales, the National Livestock Reporting Service’s Eastern States Daily Indicators changed little, except for Merino lambs which fell 10 cents to 446c/kg, making a 28-cent fall for the week.

The ESDIs for the lamb categories, daily and weekly changes were: restocker 549c/kg, down 2 cents, no change; Merino 446c/kg, down 10c, down 28c; light 505c/kg, down 1c, down 7c; trade 515c/kg, no change, down 3c; heavy 518c/kg, up 1c, down 4c. The national trade lamb indicator was unchanged on 514c/kg and the heavy lamb lifted 1 cent to 518c/kg. The ESDI and national indicator for mutton were both down 1 cents to 326c/kg.

Cowra slaughter lambs dearer

In New South Wales at the Cowra saleyards on Friday, the agents yarded 8000 lambs, 500 more than last week, and 1490 sheep, 860 fewer.

The NLRS said the quality of the trade and heavy unshorn and shorn new season lambs was good. A larger and plainer run of store lambs was penned for the usual buyers and a small restocking gallery.

Store lambs went against the dearer trend, easing $8-$10 on a plainer and lighter run. Prices ranged from $68-$105. The medium and heavy trades were firm to slightly dearer on the better presented lambs. Unshorn new season lambs sold from $110-$138 and the shorn new season lambs sold from $105-$126. Most sold from 520-550c/kg cwt. Heavy lambs were $4-$6 dearer at $132-$156. Extra heavy unshorn lambs made $155-$162 and the shorn run topped at $172.

Sheep quality was mixed. Prices were $2-$6 dearer for the better supplied ewe portion. Medium weight Merino ewes sold from $62-$89. Heavy crossbreds reached $100. Most sold from 290-330c/kg cwt.

Griffith lambs sell to $151

At the Griffith saleyards the agents yarded 1780 lambs, 670 fewer than last week, and 900 sheep, 1250 less.

The NLRS said lamb quality remained similar to the previous sales. There was a good offering of finished lambs available, along with the plainer types. Not all the usual buyers were present and competing.

Trade and heavy weight new season lambs sold from $120-$138. Old light lambs averaged $90. Trade weight lambs ranged in price from $105-$126. Heavy lambs made from $132-$139 and extra heavy weights $137-$151. Carcase prices mostly ranged from 525-556c/kg cwt.

Sheep quality was mixed. Merino ewes sold from $71-$88. Crossbred ewes averaged $83 and Dorper ewes averaged $100.

Shepparton’s better lambs still make 485-520c/kg cwt

In Victoria at the Shepparton saleyards on Friday, the agents yarded 2400 lambs, 1100 fewer than last week, and 1050 sheep, 350 less.

The NLRS said lamb quality was plainer than last week. Not all the regular processing orders operated, while store orders remained similar, with competition from Corowa and local agents.

Prices for most slaughter lambs were similar to the last sale, taking into account the plainer breeding and carcase finish of the lambs offered. Some of the small restocking lambs averaged a dollar or two dearer. The market reached a top of $140 for a small pen of export weight young lambs. The supply of good trade and export weight young lambs was very limited and only about six pens sold above $125 to a top of $140. The general run of domestic slaughter lambs sold from $101-$120. Light processor and restocker lambs made $62-$96. On a carcase basis, some price variance was recorded due to mixed quality and breeding. However, the better presented lambs still sold in an estimated range of about 485-520c/kg cwt.

The sheep offering was also very limited in lines and quality. Prices were similar to a few dollars dearer on the medium weight run of trade weight mutton. Heavy crossbred ewes sold from $82-$92 and heavy Merinos made from $80-$92. Light sheep mostly sold from $45 and $70.

Sources: MLA, NLRS, AuctionsPlus.