Markets

Lamb numbers tightening on AuctionsPlus, as winter approaches

Sheep Central, March 11, 2017

Topping prices for proven breeders this week at $182 was this line of 480 4-5 year old C-Lake blood off-shears ewes from Menindee, NSW. The ewes were a great buy, being scanned in lamb with twins. Their sisters scanned with single foetuses made $160 a head, while a smaller line undetected at assessment made $136.

 

A TIGHTENING in lamb numbers heading into winter contributed to a substantial decline in numbers offered on AuctionsPlus last week.

Overall sheep and lamb listings slipped 19 percent last week to 104,411 head.

Breeders remained were represented, however, with strong numbers continuing week-on-week.

A total of 518 unique users logged-in across the six sheep sales for the week, tuning-in from nearly every state in Australia. Plenty of stock were also seen travelling from state to state, with Merino wethers moving as far as 1800km south from Barcaldine, QLD to Elmore, VIC.

Merino ewes were the hot topic of the week with solid prices seen across the board. Future breeders averaged $162 but it was a small line of 18 month olds that took out the top price, selling for an impressive $236.

These Well Gully blood maiden ewes from Tottenham, NSW had a two inch jacket and were scanned in-lamb to Dunnield Border Leicester rams.

Proven breeders this week sold from $100 to $182.

A line of 480 4-5 year old C-Lake blood ewes from Menindee, NSW sold for the top price. The freshly-shorn ewes, being sold as part of a flock reduction, were a great buy with the whole mob scanned in lamb with twins, to Poll Merino rams.

The same vendor sold two other lines of singles and joined ewes in the same sale, similar description, as part of an offering of 1390 head. Those scanned with a single lamb (620 head) made $160 a head, while those undetected at assessment (290 head) made $136. Those sales effective valued the ‘additional’ in-utero lamb at $22-$24 in the current market.

Older ewes sold to $190 for 5-6 year old ewes from Yatina, SA scanned in lamb to Poll Dorset rams.

Merino wether lamb prices ranged from $60 to $118 this week.

Ten-month-old lambs based on Yarrawonga bloodlines made the top price. The 46kg lambs from Godfreys Creek, NSW have a two-inch skin and will be ideal to fatten or grow out into big wool-cutting sheep.

Grown wethers averaged $100 with a large line of 1231, 4-6 year olds from Bothwell, TAS selling for the top price of $135. These Nerstane blood wethers averaging 65kg had a 1.5 inch skin and will suit a wool or meat market.

Store lamb sales by weight:

  • 27-30kg made $75-$95 to average $84 or 285c live
  • 31-33kg made $96.50 to $109 to average $95 or 294c live
  • 34-36kg made $108 to $116 to average $111 or 310c live
  • 37-39kg made $95.50 to $130 to average $113 or 298c live
  • 40-41kg made $111 to $121 to average $117 or 285c live
  • 43-46kg made $100 to $125 to average $122 or 273c live
  • 50kg + made $135 to $146 to average $140.50 or 267c live

First cross ewes were highly sought-after by restockers this week.

Young ewe prices ranged from $125 to $255 while older ewes averaged $146. This top price of young ewes went to a line of three-year-old Border Leicester/Merino ewes. The heavy 75kg ewes from Concongella, VIC are joined to Poll Dorset rams and due to lamb mid-March.

Another notable price this week worth mentioning was a small line of Red Rock White Dorper ewes from Beaufort, VIC, which made $261. These four-year-old girls averaging 75kg were scanned in lamb to Tattykee Aussie White rams and have quality genetics behind them.

Source: AuctionsPlus

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