These young first cross ewes with 2-8 week-old lambs sold for a record $624 on AuctionsPlus at Gunning, NSW, last week.

FIRST cross ewes with lambs sold to a new national record of $624 on AuctionsPlus last week as store sheep values faltered, although buyers continued to favour fertility and youth.

A New South Wales buyer at Crookwell paid the record price for 92 17-18 month-old mid-April shorn first cross ewes with 162 2-8 week-old White Suffolk and Border Leicester cross lambs offered by Tolldale Gunning at ‘Neumeralla’, Gunning, NSW.

It was Tolldale Gunning’s second consecutive record on AuctionsPlus. The previous week, the Jim Hindmarsh & Son clients were paid $561 for first cross ewes and lambs.

AuctionsPlus sold 85 percent of the 1282 ewes with lambs offered last week. Prices ranged from $200 to $624, to average $328, down $53.

The online saleyard offered 165,399 sheep and lambs last week, representing a 9pc drop. The central western NSW region dominated online buying and selling, with 9248 bought and 8301 sold.

Young Merino ewes in demand

Merino ewe lambs sold from $140 to $226 and averaged $164, down $38, and 80pc of the offering sold. The top price was paid for with a line of March 2020 drop lambs weighing 48kgs and with 16mm fleeces from T.A. Frayne at Bletchley in South Australia. They sold to a New South Wales buyer at Wagga Wagga.

Young Merino ewes 2-4 years-old were in high demand and 81pc of the 2930-head offering sold at $189 to $330, to average $269, up $17. The top price was shared, by 157 2.5 year-old unjoined early November shorn ewes weighing 65.2kg from Glendemar Pastoral at Marnoo in Victoria, and by 220 2.5 year-old unjoined late October shorn ewes weighing 53.4kgs the Woolaroo Merino Stud at Stromlo, NSW.

Proven Merino ewes, four years and old made from $168 to $290 and averaged $232, with a clearance rate of 63pc. The top price was paid for a line of 4.5 year-old unjoined recently shorn ewes weighing 57kgs from the Woolaroo Merino Stud. They were sold to a NSW buyer at Goulburn.

Merino wether prices edge lower

Prices for Merino wether lambs remained steady at $100 to $158 and averaged $135 for the 14,000 head sold. The top price was paid for a line of May/June 2020 drop store lambs weighing 45kg at Gulargambone, NSW. They sold to a NSW buyer at Holbrook. A line of May/June 2020 drop Poll Merino wether lambs weighing 49kgs at Mount Pleasant, SA, also sold for $158 to a SA buyer Bordertown.

Merino wether prices were down slightly at $116 to $145, to average $134. The top price was paid for a line of three year-old wethers weighing 60kgs and with 20mm fleeces at Bingara, NSW. They sold to a SA buyer at Murray Bridge.

First cross ewes sell to $391

First cross ewe lambs sold from $120 to $203, averaging $149, down $3, and 86pc of the 36,000-head offering sold. The top price was paid for a line of June/July 2020 drop mixed sex lambs weighing 31kg from Listmint Pty Ltd at Dubbo, NSW. They were sold to a NSW buyer at Orange.

First cross ewe hogget prices softened to $262 to $377 for the 1202-head offering to average $322, down $60. The top price was paid for me a line of 13-14 month-old scanned empty ewe hoggets weighing 50kgs at Cowra, NSW. They sold to a NSW buyer at Biala.

Older first cross ewes sold from $220 to $391 to average $312, up $39, for an 86pc clearance. The top price was paid for a line of two year-old ewes weighing 75kgs, from K. Clune at Crookwell, NSW. They sold to a local buyer.

New season lambs top Tasmanian offering

AuctionsPlus sold 59pc of the 2899 sheep offered online in Tasmania last week for $148 to $160 for an average of $152. The top price was paid for a line of mixed sex second cross lambs weighing 49kgs and with 35mm fleeces from C. Lyne & Son at Campbell Town. They sold to a Tasmanian buyer at Cressy.

Store lambs prices ease

AuctionsPlus offered 38,000 store lambs last week, 4000 fewer. Prices decreased of 3c/kg to average 405c/kg.

–              Suffolk cross, 30kg lwt, $121 or 547c/kg, Aug/Sept 2020 drop, Kingscote, SA.

–              White Suffolk cross, 23kg, $126 or 538c/kg, Aug/Sept 2020 drop, Murray Bridge, SA.

–              Dorper mixed sexes, 29kg, $155 or 532c/kg, July/Sept 2020 drop, Morven, QLD.

–              White Suffolk cross, 26kg, $138 or 520c/kg, Aug/Sept 2020 drop, Casterton, VIC.

–              White Suffolk cross, 27kg, $145 or 517c/kg, Aug 2020 drop, Henty, NSW.

–              Poll Dorset cross, 29kg, $142 or 489c/kg, Sept 2020, Murray Bridge, SA.