These unweaned Australian White ewe lambs sold foir $412 on AuctionsPlus last week.

LAMB prices continued to lift on AuctionsPlus last week despite larger offerings, led by shedding breed ewe lambs.

The overall AuctionsPlus sheep and lamb offering slipped this week, down 6pc to 58,009 head.

But despite some price fluctuation across the range of sales last week, lamb categories continued to experience higher prices.

The average prices in four of the six indicative lamb categories rose, while most joined ewe categories registered price falls.

Crossbred lambs had the largest offering at 22,013 head, and averaged $6 dearer at $167, with a clearance rate of 80 percent. More first cross and Merino ewe lambs were offered and attracted stronger demand. The average price for first cross ewes lambs rose $14 to $288 and Merino ewe price averaged $21 higher to $257, with an average clearance rate of 86pc across the two categories.

Composite and other breed lambs registered the largest fall in supply this week, with the 873 head selling for an average of $188, down $47.

Merino wethers were the only other indicative category to sell cheaper, down $7 in average price to $136, with the clearance rate at 92pc.

Shedding breed ewe lambs recorded a third consecutive week of gains in price, up $32 on average to $286/head, with a clearance rate at 68pc. The top lot in the National Lamb Sale for this category was a line of 97 unweaned rising five month-old Australian White ewe suckers weighing 34.5kg at Trundle in central west New South Wales that made $412.

The joined ewe offering fell this week, down to 11,769 head. Only the average price for scanned in-lamb shedding breed ewe category increased, to $444/head, influenced by the record-breaking line of Australian White ewes from northern Victoria, that made $1015/head.

The average price for the 4768 scanned in-lamb Merino ewes offered dropped $5 to $260/head. Joined Merino ewes also sold cheaper, dropping $20 to average $173, with a 100pc clearance of for the 853 head offered.

The number of unjoined ewes decreased, to 2613 head. However, with the reduced numbers demand remained solid and the categories achieved an average clearance rate of 87pc. The average price of Merino ewe hoggets fell $51 to $221. The average price for unjoined Merino ewes increased $13 to $217 and the average price for composite/other breed ewes rose $15 to $265.

NOTE: Prices as at 5pm, Thursday 12th July, 2021