d s and Merino wethers sold to $153 in a smaller AuctionsPlus offering last week.

AuctionsPlus commercial operations officer Hamish Cooke said sheep and lamb listings dipped slightly last week by 8740 to 115,460 head.

“There was no saleyard-interfaced listings this week to bolster numbers, resulting in an actual net increase of listings in the AuctionsPlus weekly commercial sales.”

The average clearance was 75 percent, which was firm on the previous week. Listing regions remain steady, with most of the sheep and lambs coming from New South Wales.

Western Australian vendors are also seeing the potential to find eastern states buyers online, listing 2280 head last week, Mr Cooke said.

Mr Cooke said the online market is tracking the sale yards closely, matching the increased seasonal listings & price pressure coming off the boil with most stock categories back just slightly.

Merino ewe lambs to $225

Merino ewe lambs sold from $58 to $225 and averaged $145, down $32 on the previous week. The top price was paid for a line of July/August 2018 drop Grathlyn/Avon blood ewe lambs at Coolamon, NSW, that sold to a Narrandera buyer. The lambs weighed 52kgs and carried a 5cm fleece. Merino ewe hoggets sold from $72 to $272 to average $175, down $42. The top price was paid for a line of unjoined 14-16 month-old Banavie blood ewes at St Arnaud, Victoria, that weighed 61kgs and had a 2.5cm fleece.

Merino ewes 2-4 years-old sold from $145 to $200 and averaged $183, down $17. The top price was paid by a local buyer for a line of rising four year-old Cottage Park blood ewes with 1-2 month-old 18kg lambs at Boorowa, NSW. The ewes weighed 58kgs and had 5cm fleece.

Proven Merino ewes four years-old and older sold from $73 to $231 and averaged $162, up $2. The top price was paid for 290 unjoined five year-old Bella Lana blood ewes at Dunedoo, NSW. They weighed 68kgs and had a 6cm fleece.

Merino wether lambs sell for $143

Merino wether lambs sold from $51 to $143 to average $118, down $6, on AuctionsPlus last week. The top price was paid for 245 Nyowee/Moorundie blood Poll Merino wethers from Marcollat, South Australia, by a SA buyer at Jamestown. The June/July 2019 drop lambs weighed 39kgs and had a 4cm fleece.

Mr Cooke said Merino wethers were a popular buy last week, with a 95pc clearance across the category and holding firm on last week to average $110. The grown wethers sold from $71 up to $153 for 280 two year-old wethers at Euroa, Victoria, bought by a Yandoit buyer. The wethers weighed 49kgs with a 6.25 cm fleece.

First cross ewe lambs made to $225

First cross ewe lambs sold from $150 to $225 and averaged $193, down $11. The top price was paid for 240 May/June 2019 drop ewe lambs at Kingston, SA. The lambs weighed 42kgs and sold to a buyer in Lucindale, SA. Mr Cooke said first cross ewes sold well last week, commanding premium prices for top lines and averaging $240, firm on last week. They sold from $176 up to $319 for 210 rising three year-old first cross ewes at Tullamore, NSW, with 254 Poll Dorset cross lambs. The ewes weighed 62kgs and sold to a buyer in Waubra, Victoria.

Lamb prices back online

Mr Cooke said the lamb market has cooled online in the past couple weeks, settling on 80pc clearance and the average price also slipped under the 400c/kg liveweight mark, averaging 395c/kg this week. Listings totalled 42,282 head and sold from 332c/kg to tops of 558c/kg, highlights include:

–          37kg, Meat Plus mixed sex suckers from COOTAMUNDRA, NSW sold for $162 or 436c live

–          42kg, 2nd cross Poll Dorset x BL/Merino mixed sex Lambs from MONTEAGLE, NSW sold for $160 or 377c live

–          42kg, 1st cross Poll Dorset x Merino mixed sex suckers from THE ROCK, NSW sold for $160 or 382c live

–          40kg, 2nd cross Poll Dorset x BL/Merino mixed sex store lambs from COOTAMUNDRA, NSW sold for $160 or 400c live

–          46kg, 1st cross White Suffolk x Poll Merino store wether lambs from WILLALOOKA, SA sold for $156 or 340c

–          40kg, 2nd cross Poll Dorset x Composite mixed sex suckers from JUNEE, NSW sold for $155 or 385c live

–          42kg, 2nd cross Dorset x BL/Merino mixed sex suckers from KEPPOCH, SA sold for $154 or 370c live

–          42kg, 1st cross Border Leicester x Merino store wether lambs from KINGSTON, SA sold for $153 or 367c live

–          42kg, 1st cross Border Leicester x Merino store wether lambs from KINGSTON, SA sold for $151 or 363c live

–          39kg, 1st cross Poll Dorset x Merino mixed sex suckers from YOUNG, NSW sold for $151 or 389c live