These 15-16 month-old mid-June shorn Egalabra blood Merino ewes sold for $232 for their Nyngan, NSW, owner on AuctionsPlus last week.

AUCTIONSPLUS’ online joined ewe offering doubled last week to 12,321 head, meeting firm to stronger demand.

Leading the joined ewe categories was 4958 shedding breed ewes that made $180-$458 and averaged $327, up $24.

AuctionsPlus said the larger shedding breed offering was met with strong demand, with clearance rates reaching 91 percent. A line of 620 6-14 month-old White Dorper ewes weighing 46kg liveweight at Wentworth in New South Wales sold $120 above its reserve, selling for $400 to a buyer at Blackall, Queensland.

The 3668 scanned in-lamb Merino ewes sold from $200-$336 and averaged $268, back $4, and achieved a 77pc clearance. The 928 scanned in-lamb shedding breed ewes met with robust demand, making $280-$790 and averaging $444, up $94, for a 97pc clearance.

AuctionsPlus sheep and lamb numbers increased by 35 percent week-on-week to total 113,382 head last week

Despite growing lamb numbers continuing to be offered online, some purchasing hesitation through the supply chain resulted in patchy clearance rates across both lamb and unjoined ewe categories for the week, the online platform said.

Most new season lamb prices improved

AuctionsPlus offered 74,876 new season lambs last week, with four of the six categories averaging higher than last week. Crossbred lambs accounted for 26pc of the total offering and averaged $160, up $5, with a 92pc clearance. A large proportion of the offering continued to flow out of south-west Victoria, with the region offering 12,053 crossbred lambs.

The 21,355 Merino wether lambs offered sold from $91-$178 and averaged $138, up $4. The clearance rate for the category remained strong at 85pc. A large run of 1055 August/September 2021 drop lambs weighing 34kg at Walgett in NSW made $157.

The 9425 first cross ewe lambs sold from $173-$321 and averaged $270, up $28, but achieved a clearance rate of only 26pc, with buyers favouring the heaviest lines.

Unjoined ewe prices fall

Unjoined ewe categories recorded a fall in prices across the board this week. The 5191 unjoined Merino ewe hoggets sold from $165-$305, to average $233, down $47. Unjoined first cross ewes achieved a similar result, with the offering of 7911 making $160-$385, to average $263, down $60, at a clearance rate of 39pc.

NOTE: Prices as at 5pm, Thursday 20th January 2022