STORE sheep prices corrected on AuctionsPlus last week, but clearances remained strong for scanned in-lamb first cross ewes and Merino wethers.
The online sheep and lamb offering increased by 16,690 to 85,041 head last week, with scanned in-lamb first cross ewe lambs selling to $436 and Merino ewes making to $331.
The offering included 6339 head in the Mylora dispersal sale at Binalong in New South Wales and the Hamilton Run Poll Merino Nucleus Flock Reduction Sale at Jamestown, South Australia, which both achieved a full clearance.
AuctionsPlus said average prices eased slightly in several categories; however strong clearances were achieved, including 100pc for Merino wethers and scanned in-lamb first cross ewes.
Merino ewe lambs sell to $301
Merino ewe lambs sold from $150 to $301 last week, averaging $222, up $7 on the previous week. Demand corrected, with 73pc of the offering selling. The top price was paid for a line 11-12 month-old Leovale Merino blood ewes weighing 52kgs and with 5cm fleeces from Mudford Farming at Nyngan, NSW. A line of ewe lambs from the L.A. Genetics Trust at Broughton River Valley, SA, sold for $282. The 11-12 month-old Hamilton Run blood lambs weighed 53kgs and had 4cm fleeces.
Merino ewe hoggets sold from $140 to $293, averaging $222, easing $11. The top price was paid for a line of mixed age unjoined ewes weighing 49kgs from ‘Kilbournie Pastoral at Bathurst, NSW. The mostly Roseville Park blood ewes carried 7.5cm fleeces and sold to a NSW buyer at Canowindra.
Proven scanned Merino ewes make $331
Young Merino ewes, 2-4 years-old, sold from $144 to $282, averaging $223, down $60. The top price was paid for a line of 2.5 year-old scanned in-lamb ewes from Congou at Cootamundra, NSW. The ewes were scanned in-lamb to Merino rams and weighed 66kgs. A line of 3-4 year-old unjoined Haddon Rig blood ewes from C.S. & C.J. Mitchell at Roma in Queensland sold for $248.The ewes had 6cm fleeces and weighed 52 kgs. They were bought by a NSW buyer at Inverell.
Proven Merino ewes, four years and old, were in high demand and 95pc of the offering sold from $174 to $331, averaging $247, down $17. The top price was paid rising 5 year-old scanned in-lamb Merino ewes offered by G.N. Severin at Brocklesby, NSW. The ewes weighed 88kg ewes and were scanned in-lamb to Poll Merino rams.
Merino wethers sell to $182
AuctionsPlus sold 91pc of the Merino wether lambs offered, from $134 to $182, for an average of $156, down $2. The top price was paid by a Victorian buyer at Brooklyn for 400 10-11 month-old Moorundie South blood wether lambs weighing 48kg offered by Tolcairn at Keith.
The 7109 older Merino wethers also sold from $120 to $192, to average $160, down $3. The top price was paid for a line of 19-20 month-old wether hoggets from D.W. & S.J. Baines at Cooma, NSW. The mainly Hazeldean blood wethers weighed 53kgs and had 7cm fleeces.
Scanned first cross ewe lambs make $436
First cross ewe lambs sold from $228 to $436. AuctionsPlus cleared 95pc of the offering. The top price was paid for a line of one year-old ewes from Bereni Pastoral at Billimari, NSW, that were scanned in-lamb to Poll Dorset rams. The ewes weighed 66kgs and had 6.25cm fleeces. A NSW buyer at Cowra paid $312 for a line of 10-11 month-old unjoined ewe lambs from the Bundaleer Merino Stud at Walla Walla, NSW. The lambs weighed 50kgs and had 2.5cm fleeces.
First cross ewes sold from $325 to $422, for a total clearance. The top price was paid for 114 1.y year-old late August shorn ewes at Bombala in NSW, that were scanned in-lamb to Poll Dorset rams. The ewes weighed 66.1 kgs and were mostly score 3 in condition. A line of mixed age station-mated White Dorper at Swan Hill in Victoria sold for $375. At Marrar in NSW, a line of November-December 2019 drop Australian White ewe lambs sold for $351.
Western Australian ewes sell to $286
In Western Australia last week, Merino ewes sold from $140 to $286, averaging $201, down $31. Eastern states demand remained strong, with the 4577 head offered being sold to SA and NSW buyers. The top price was paid for 608 two year-old Cherlara blood Merino ewes from P.A. and A.J. Negus at Dandaragan. The ewes weighed 66kgs and were scanned in-lamb to Merino rams.
Tasmanian sheep in demand
AuctionsPlus said Tasmanian sheep were again in high demand, with a 100pc clearance for the second week running, albeit for a smaller offering of 1333 head. Mixed sex lambs sold from $141 to $172, averaging $159. The top price was paid for a line of 7-9 month-old mixed sex White Suffolk cross store lambs weighing 44kg and with 1-1.5” skins from Red Hills at Deloraine.
Wethers sold from $110 to $140, averaging $129. The top price was paid by a NJSW buyer at Finley for a line of Leachim blood Merino wethers from Murrayfield at Pontville. The wethers weighed 65kgs.
Store lamb numbers ease
The number of store lambs offered on AuctionsPlus eased last week by 1974 head to 10,361. Prices ranged from 387-543c/kg liveweight, up one cent on last week. Highlights included:
– Sept/Oct ’19 drop – 31kg White Suffolk/Merino mixed sex store lambs from GRENFELL, New South Wales sold for $170 or 543c
– Sept/Oct ’19 drop – 31kg White Suffolk and Border Leicester/Merino mixed sex store lambs from WHITEFOORD, Tasmania sold for $164 or 527c
– Aug/Sept ’19 drop – 30kg Southdown/Composite mixed sex lambs from WILLAURA NORTH, Victoria sold for $152 or 502c
– Aug/Sept ’19 drop – 48kg Coolalee/Poll Merino mixed sex store lambs from GOONDIWINDI, Queensland sold for $206 or 431c
– Sept/Oct ’19 drop – 36kg Composite/Merino mixed sex lambs from NIMMITABEL, New South Wales sold for $175 or 483c
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