CROSSBRED and Merino ewe prices increased on AuctionsPlus last week, but ewe and wether lamb values dropped.

AuctionsPlus said the sheep and lamb offering increased by 13,593 head to 69,571, with 90 percent selling to new owners.

The central west of New South Wales was again the top purchasing region, buying 10,000 head entering the region.

AuctionsPlus also offered 1467 goats at St George in Queensland. The does weighing 19kg sold for $133 and the mixed sex goats weighing 16kg sold for $100.

Merino ewe hoggets average $9 higher

Merino ewe lambs sold from $160-$190, averaging $168, down $22. The top price was paid for a line of July 2019 crop Blythe and Wallaloo blood Merino lambs from Cooba East P/S at Eurongilly, NSW. The lambs weighed 40kgs and had a 6.25 cm fleece.

Merino ewe hoggets sold from $198-$276, averaging $225, up $9. The top price was paid for a line of 17-18 month-old Bogo blood hoggets from Echuca Past Co at Young, NSW. The ewes weighed 55kgs off shears. A line of scanned in-lamb Pooginook blood hoggets at Charlton, Victoria, sold for $241. These weighed 49kgs and were in lamb to White Suffolk rams.

Young Merino ewes sell to $347

Young Merino breeders sold from $177-$347, averaging $259, up $17. The top price was paid for a line of 3.5 year-old Kelvale blood ewes scanned in-lamb to White Suffolk and Suffolk rams from Davey Farming at Port Neill, South Australia. The ewes weighed 76kgs and carried a 6.25 cm fleece. Another highlight was the $299 paid for a line of unjoined 2.5 year-old Mumblebone blood ewes at Nyngan, NSW. The ewes weighed 45kgs and had a 3.75cm fleece.

Proven Merino ewes sold from $140-$313, averaging $218, up $4. The top price was paid for a line of rising five year-old Cooroonboon and Bluebush blood ewes from N.G. & K.C. Morris and N. & K. Morris Trust at Ardlethan, NSW. The ewes weighed 78kgs and in-lamb to White Suffolk rams. Another highlight was a line of rising six year-old scanned in-lamb Gum Hill blood Poll Merino ewes at Georgetown, SA, that sold for $291. The rising six year-old ewes weighed 67kgs, had a 4.5cm fleece and were joined to White Suffolk rams.

Merino wether lambs make to $182

Merino wether lambs sold for $101-$182, averaging $140, down $3. The top price was paid for a line of April-July 2019 drop Willandra, Towalba and Alma blood lambs from the Lott Family Trust at Rochester, Victoria. The wethers weighed 46kgs and had a 2.5 cm fleece. At Dubbo, NSW, a line of July-August 2019 drop Centre Plus and Bundilla blood lambs sold for $178. The lambs weighed 41kgs.

Merino wether hoggets sold from $150-$217, averaging $167, up $12. The top price was paid for a line of 16-18 month-old Centre Plus and Grassy Creek blood wethers from A.M. & M.L. Fowler at Monteagle, NSW. The wethers weighed 61kgs and had a 5cm fleece. At Longreach, QLD, a line of 15-16 month-old Dunambral blood wethers weighing 45kgs and with a 6.25cm fleece sold for $168.

First cross ewe lambs lift $23 to $266 average

First cross ewe lambs sold from $205-$351, averaging $266, up $23. The top price was paid for a line of April-May 2019 drop lambs from M.B. & J.E. Fisher at Mirrool, NSW. The lambs weighed 59kgs. At Gulargambone, NSW, a line of June-July 2019 drop ewe lambs weighing 50kgs sold for $326.

First cross ewes sold from $185-$381, averaging $310, up $19. The top price was paid for a line of 19-20 month-old ewes weighing 67kgs from the Mount Raven Pastoral Co at Holbrook, NSW. The ewes were scanned in-lamb to Poll Dorset rams.

Shedding lambs sell strongly

AuctionsPlus said shedding lambs sold strongly again last week, making $147-$175 and averaging $166. The top price was paid for a line of August-September 2019 drop Dorper wether lambs from the Francvillers Pastoral Co at Cunnamulla, QLD. The lambs weighed 40kgs.

The online crossbred lamb offered dropped to 13,490 head, but sold well, with a 95pc clearance. Prices ranged from 430-659c/kg liveweight, averaging 523c/kg, up 14 cents. Highlights included:

• First cross mixed sex, $143 or 659c/kg liveweight, 22kg, Sept/Oct 2019 drop, Armidale, NSW
• Poll Dorset cross, $149 or 640c/kg, 23kg, Sept/Oct 2019 drop, Geurie, NSW
• Poll Dorset cross, $173 or 607c/kg, 29kg, Aug/Sept 2019 drop, Mudgee, NSW
• Poll Dorset cross, $158 or 581c/kg, 27kg, Sept/Oct 2019 drop, Bombala, NSW
• Composite & White Suffolk cross, $169 or 567c/kg, 30kg, Sept/Oct ’19 drop, Mortlake, VIC

Tasmanian offering sold well

The Tasmania sheep sale contributed 890 head to last week’s listing and a 100pc clearance was achieved. Merino ewes averaged $186, with a top price of $243. The top price went to 16-18 month-old Leahcim blood ewes from  the Indigenous Land Company on Bruny Island. The off-shears ewes weighed 47kgs. A line 16-18 month-old Merino wethers from the same vendor sold for $130. The bare shorn wethers weighed 48kgs.