These July-September 2023 drop mixed sex Dorper lambs weighing 41.4kg sold for $101 at Weilmoringle, NSW, on AuctionsPlus last week.

MERINO wether and ewe lamb prices increased on AuctionsPlus last week, along with values for most scanned in-lamb ewe categories.

AuctionsPlus commercial sheep and lamb listings lifted 6 percent to 57,701 head last week.

The larger offering was met with mixed competition as the overall clearance fell by 19pc to 48pc. Price Over Reserve increased by $1 to average $7 across all listings.

The average price paid for crossbred lambs fell by 15pc to $106. The AuctionsPlus restocker indicator (ARLI) lifted marginally by 2c to reach 568c/kg.

Lamb prices were mixed across different categories with the average price paid for Merino wether lambs lifting by $14 to $85 in a smaller offering of 11,296 head. Merino ewe lambs average $95, up $47.

There was a large offering of 17,596 joined ewes, up 8pc. Prices were mixed across categories with SIL Merino Ewes averaging $99, down $23.

South Australia had a reduced offering across the sheep and lamb sales with a total of 8059 head, down from 9189 the previous week. Purchasers responded, showing an increased demand in taking 6928, a 78pc increase. NSW, VIC and QLD had greater listings than last week. NSW and VIC’s purchases fell by 32pc and 62pc respectively.

In the larger crossbred lamb offering of 11,442 head, the average price decreased $18 to $106/head for a 48pc clearance rate. At Boorowa in NSW. two even lines of 400 Jul/Aug ’23 drop Poll Dorset/Composite mixed sex lambs, weighing 36kg lwt returned $121/head, or 332c/kg and will travel to a buyer in Barmedman, NSW.

The number of Merino wether lambs offered rose 12pc to 11,296 head and 70pc were sold. At Kingston in South Australia, 420 June/July 2023 drop wethers weighing 28kg lwt sold for $42, or 152c/kg, to a buyer at Euroa in Victoria.

The average price paid for the larger offering of 6228 scanned in-lamb Merino ewes fell by $23 to $99 for an 82pc clearance. A significant portion of the scanned in-lamb Merino ewes came from Broken Hill, NSW, with 1940 head offered from one vendor. From this offering two even lines of 380 Poll Merino ewes aged 4.8 to 4.9 years old and weighing 63kg made $94/head with a buyer in Mount Jagged, SA.

Note: Prices as at 5pm Thursday, 18th April 2024