NEW season lambs helped boost AuctionsPlus sheep and lamb listings last week to almost 50,000.

AuctionsPlus market operations supervisor Tom Rookyard said agents offered 47,784 sheep and lambs online, an increase of just over 4000 head.

“New season lambs continue to enter the online market and increase in numbers, with 8200 head offered.

“The number of unique registered bidders logging into sales this week was also on the rise, with 501 across three sales, while clearance held steady sitting at 67 percent,” he said.

Merino ewe lambs sell to $221

Mr Rookyard said Merino ewe lambs last week averaged $118 and ranged from $85 to $221. The top-priced line of East Bungaree and Lucerne Park blood lambs at Burra in South Australia had a 7-month fleece. Ewe lamb numbers were boosted by an offering of 3100 by Soster Pastoral at ‘Dalkeith’ near Cassilis, New South Wales. Scanned in-lamb grown and proven Merino breeders averaged $153 and made from $102 to $230. Merino ewes with lambs sold from $151 to $266 and averaged $209.

Merino wethers sell to $103

Merino wether lambs this week averaged $84 and ranged from $51 to $103. This top price was paidfor a line of bare shorn, 41kg Wallaloo Park blood July drop wethers at Glenorchy in Victoria. Merino hoggets and grown wethers sold from $84 to $162, with an average of $106. The top-priced line of two year-old wethers at Bulgana in Victoria weighed 53kgs lwt and a 5cm fleece.

Scanned first cross ewe hoggets make $220

Mr Rookyard said there was a short supply of first cross ewes and ewe lambs, and scanned in-lamb hoggets averaged $199, making from $180 to $220. Other first cross highlights included a line of unjoined 10-14 month old 60kg hoggets at Cambrai, South Australia, that made $220. Some 12-13 month-old 43kg hoggets at Albert, NSW, sold for $176.

Good new season lambs clearance

Mr Rookyard said there was strong interest in new season lambs saw strong last week and an 82pc clearance of lines offered.

“It was pleasing to see several lines of the new season lambs offered from Queensland being purchased by growers from the Sunshine State, including a large line of 1030 mixed sex April/May 2018 drop 24kg Dorper suckers from Cunnamulla selling for $85,” he said.

New season lamb highlights

Mar/Apr-18 drop, 2ndX Poll Dorset Mixed Sex Store Lambs, weighing 28kgs, from Gooloogong New South Wales sold for $120.5

Mar/Apr-18 drop, 2ndX Poll Dorset Mixed Sex Store Lambs, weighing 30kgs, from Crgo New South Wales sold for $119

Mar/Apr-18 drop, 2ndX Poll Dorset Mixed Sex Suckers, weighing 27kgs, from Tarcutta New South Wales sold for $111

Mar/Apr-18 drop, 2ndX Poll Dorset Mixed Sex Store Lambs, weighing 24kgs, from Gooloogong New South Wales sold for $110

Apr/May-18 drop, Poll Dorset/Merino Mixed Sex Suckers, weighing 24kgs, from Peak Hill New South Wales sold for $96.5

Apr/May-18 drop, Poll Dorset/Merino Mixed Sex Suckers, weighing 26kgs, from Harden New South Wales sold for $96

Mar/Apr-18 drop, 2ndX Meatplus Mixed Sex Suckers, weighing 22kgs, from Tarcutta New South Wales sold for $95

Apr/May-18 drop, White Suffolk/Merino Mixed Sex Suckers, weighing 27kgs, from Pinnaroo South Australia sold for $93

Apr/May-18 drop, Dorper Mixed Sex Suckers, weighing 24kgs, from Cunnamulla Queensland sold for $85

Mar/Apr-18 drop, Suffolk/Merino Mixed Sex Suckers, weighing 22kgs, from Eudunda South Australia sold for $80

Source: AuctionsPlus.