These 8-9 month-old first cross ewe lambs weighing 51.6 kg at Armatree in New South Wales sold for $175 on AuctionsPlus last week.

HIGHER prices for first cross ewe lambs and some ewe categories indicated a continued breeding focus among AuctionsPlus buyers last week.

AuctionsPlus commercial sheep and lamb listings increased 7 percent to 97,847 head last week.

The larger offering met with mixed reaction by online buyers, with an overall clearance rate of 53pc, 17pc lower than the previous week.

AuctionsPlus said prices were also mixed, with the crossbred lamb indicator rising 3pc to $114/head and the restocker ARLI indicator dropping 30 cents to average 533c/kg lwt.

Prices for joined ewe prices mostly fell, with average price for scanned in-lamb dirst cross ewes dropping $54 to $175, with a clearance of 73pc. The average price for joined shedding breed ewes dropped $40 to $124. AuctionsPlus said joined Merino ewes appeared to be a bright spot in the market with the average price paid rising $26 to $140; however, only 34pc of the 3794 head offered were sold.

AuctionsPlus said listings picked up from all states, except for New South Wales, where the offering fell 2574 to 50,158. Queensland listings rose 26pc to 13,511. The overall listings for joined ewes rose  62pc to 20,643.

NSW buyers purchased 24,385 head, 19,917 fewer. South Australian buyers bought 9632 head, 5480 more. Two processors were active, picking up 4297 head across 13 lots of crossbred and Merino wether lambs.

Crossbred lamb listings were back 8pc to 20,301 head, with prices increasing to average $114, up $3, for a 71pc clearance. At Cudal in NSW, mixed sex July 2023 drop Merino-first cross lambs weighing 32.40kg lwt sold for $111, or 343c/kg.

The Merino wether lamb offering increased to 10,527 head, and prices fell to average $65, down $13, for a 53pc clearance. At Connewirricoo in Victoria, 370 April/May 2023 drop Merino wethers weighing 56.3kg lwt made $121.

Merino ewe hoggets were not keenly sought, with only 26pc of the 7730 offered selling for an average of $80, down $43. At Gilgandra in NSW, 322 18 month-old Merino ewe hoggets weighing 59kg sold for $175, or 293c/kg lwt.

Note: Prices as at 5pm Thursday, 15th February 2024

Source – AuctionsPlus.