MERINO ewe and wether prices increased for a bigger AuctionsPlus sheep and lamb offering last week.

Interfaced sheep and lamb sales in South Australia, New South Wales and Victoria boosted the online offering — with the national listing rising 11,044 to 96,330 – but AuctionsPlus’ weekly commercial sales offered 63,637 head.

Buyers in Victoria and central west NSW dominated buying, prices were up in most categories and clearance remained strong at 94 percent for lamb sales and 72 pc in the national sheep sales.

The three interfaced online commercial sales included the Mingenew Sheep Sale in Western Australia offering 4505 head, with three lots sold online (39 bids online by two bidders); the TA Fields Estates, Wyvern Merino Store Sheep Sale, Riverina NSW, selling 9189 head with 13 lots sold to five successful online purchasers (130 bids by eight users), and; the Watervalley Merino Woolly Wether Lamb Sale, lower south-east South Australia, which sold 13,810 head including 24 lots sold to 11 successful online purchasers from 247 bids by 14 users.

Merino ewe lambs sell to $208

Merino ewe lambs sold from $117 to $208 and averaged $169, up $17 on the previous week. The top price was paid by a SA buyer at Port Augusta for 400 September-October 2018 drop Calcookara blood Poll Merino ewe lambs at Orroroo, SA. The lambs weighed 50kgs and had a 4cm fleece.

Merino ewe hoggets sold from $117 to $299 to average $195, up $10 on the previous week. The top price was paid by a Victorian buyer at Redan for unjoined 17-18 month-old Studall born and bred ewes at Wallaloo East, Victoria. The ewes weighed 59kgs and had a 4cm fleece.

Young Merino ewes make $257

Young Merino ewes 2-4 years-old sold from $133 to $257 to average $193, up a $43 on the previous week. The top price was paid for 325 unjoined rising three year-old Caroonboon and Bluebush blood ewes at Newbridge, Victoria, by a Victorian buyer at Shelbourne. The ewes weighed 67 kgs and had an 8cm fleece.

Merino ewes four years and older sold from $90 to $238 to average $157, up $27 on the previous week. The top price was paid by a Victorian buyer at Swan Hill for 430 4-7 year-old Uungala and Bonanza blood ewes at Tamworth, NSW, with  410 1-8 week-old White Suffolk cross lambs. The ewes weigh 63kgs and had a 5cm fleece.

Merino wether lamb prices lift $15 to $148 peak

Merino wether lambs sold from $82 to $148 to average $116, up $15 on the previous week. Highlights included 880 May-June 2018 drop Collinsville blood wether lambs at Ivanhoe, NSW, that sold for $145. The lambs weighed 40kgs and had a 4cm fleece. They sold to a NSW buyer at Trangie.

Grown Merino wethers sold from $72 to $130 to average $96, down $10 on the previous week.  The top price was paid by a NSW buyer at Orange for a line of 2-6 year-old Old Ash Rose blood wethers at Bourke, NSW. The wethers weighed 57kgs and had 5cm fleece.

First cross ewe lamb prices dip

AuctionsPlus said its first cross ewe lambs offering last week was down significantly and prices also fell to average $168, down $40, within a range of $148 to $190. A Victorian buyer at Bald Hill paid the top price for 300 April-May 2019 drop ewe lambs at Illabo, NSW. The lambs weighed 41kgs.

First cross ewes averaged $195 and sold from $178 up to $246 for ewe hoggets weighing 61kgs at Cooma, NSW. A line of 129 ewe hoggets weighing 50kgs at Trundle, NSW, sold for $210.

AuctionsPlus’ store lamb offering increases

AuctionsPlus offered 17,942 store lambs last week, up 5631 head on the previous week. The lambs sold from 318-500c/kg liveweight to average 426c/kg, down 4 cents. Buying competition remained high and 98pc of the lambs were sold. Store lamb highlights included:

–         Poll Dorset cross, April-May 2019 drop, 40kgs, $174 or 440c/kg lwt, Benalla, Victoria

–         Poll Doirset cross, June-July 2019 drop, 39kg, $169 or 430c/kg, Wagga Wagga, NSW

–          Suffolk cross, April-May 2019 drop, 41kg, $161 or 394c/kg, Jabuk, SA

–          Poll Dorset cross, June-July 2019 drop, 37kg $161 or 433c/kg, Molong, NSW

–          Poll Dorset cross, May-June 2019 drop, 37kg, $160 or 428c/kg, Pulletop, NSW

–          White Suffolk cross, April-May 2019, 41kg, $160 or 290c/kg, Jabuk, SA

–          White Suffolk cross, April-May 2019, 41kg, $160 or 395c/kg, Keith, SA

–          First cross wethers, April-May 2019, 43kg, $158 or 365c/kg, Illabo, NSW