These August-September 2023 drop composite wether lambs at Cottamundra in NSW sold for $150 or 904 cents a kg on AuctionsPlus last week.

LAMB and joined ewe prices and clearances generally improved with a 19 percent lift in the AuctionsPlus offering to 36,659 head last week.

AuctionsPlus said the overall clearance rate lifted 4pc to 86pc and the Value Over Reserve was steady, again averaging $15/head over set reserves.

Lamb prices lifted after a dip last week, with the crossbred lamb indicator bouncing back with an increase of 13pc, after decreasing by 9pc the previous week. The indicator averaged $135/head last week.

Similarly, the AuctionsPlus Restocker Lamb Indicator climbed 179 cents last week to land at 689c/kg dressed weight, rebounding from a fall of 152c the week prior.

The joined ewe offerings fell significantly last week, but still made up most of the offering with a combined 10,995 head, or 31pc of the total. Last week this group accounted for 48pc of the offering.

Lambs made up the second largest pool at 10,222 head, or 29pc of the offering.

The largest offering was of Merino wethers; with 7402 head or 21pc of the overall listings. This was a huge increase after none were listed since the week ending June 21, when 980 head were offered, AuctionsPlus said.

Listings from Queensland more than doubled last week, were steady in New South Wales and fell significantly in Victoria. Purchases lifted in NSW, with buyers from that state taking home the bulk of the market. However, purchases in Queensland lifted significantly from the previous week.

Processer/feedlot activity accounted for 3pc of the buying activity last week.

AuctionsPlus offered 3701 crossbred lambs and prices increased to average $135, up $15 for a 91pc clearance. At Cootamundra in NSW, 440 August/September 2023 drop composite cross wethers weighing 38kg lwt sold for $150/head, or 391c/kg, to a buyer in Canowindra, NSW.

The online offering of Merino wether lambs decreased 41pc last week to 3484, after a 96pc increase the week before. All were sold with a $23 increase in the average price to $93. At Dalgety in NSW, 366 August/September 2023 drop wethers weighing 36kg lwt made $107, or 294c/kg, with a buyer in Wagga Wagga, NSW.

The number of scanned in-lamb Merino ewes offered dropped 2pc to 6942 head. The category had a 73pc clearance rate and the average price rose $24 to $134.

Scanned in-lamb first cross ewe numbers were back 47pc to 1606 head. AuctionsPlus sold 86pc with a $21 lift in the average price to $179.

Note: Prices as at 5pm Thursday, July 11, 2024.

Source – AuctionsPlus.