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New season lambs flood AuctionsPlus listings as tough season continues

Sheep Central, July 30, 2018

These Poll Dorset cross lambs at Tomingley, NSW, sold for $120.50 on AuctionsPlus last week.

EARLY marketing of new season lambs across New South Wales swelled the AuctionsPlus listings last week.

The number of new season lambs more than tripled on AuctionsPlus to 19,000 head, with most coming from New South Wales properties battling the continued dry and now cold conditions.

Online sheep and lamb listings increased by about 13,000 last week to 60,660 head; however, tough market and seasonal conditions and fewer buyers resulted in a lower clearance for the 10,500 Merino ewes and ewe lambs listed online last week.

The AuctionsPlus clearance rate across all sales fell to 55 percent, down from 67pc last week as the continued dry conditions across much of the country forced some producers to de-stock.

Poll Merino ewe lambs sell to $205

Merino ewe lambs sold from $70 to $205. The top price was paid for 890 August-September 2017 drop Poll Merino ewe lambs at Woodstock in New South Wales. They weighed 41.8kg, were mainly score 2 in condition and shorn in late May.

Young and proven Merino breeders averaged $123 and sold to $225. The top price was paid for 200 13-14 month late June shorn Merino ewe hoggets, 48.2kg lwt and score 2, at Keith in South Australia. At Boort in Victoria, 190 scanned in-lamb mid-June shorn four year-old Merino ewes, joined to White Suffolk rams sold for $170.

Merino wether lambs sold for up to $119.50 for 266 July-August 2017 drop early February shorn Poll Merinos at Mooralla in Victoria. The 37.6kg lambs were mostly score 2. A line of 220 unshorn Merino wether lambs, September-October 2017 drop, 29.8kg lwt and score 1, sold for $111 at Beaufort in Victoria.

First cross ewes with lambs to $283

First cross ewe buyers paid the most for ewe-lamb units, with a Tasmania buyer outlaying $283 for a line of 222 early January shorn three year-old ewes with 283 9-12 week-old Southdown cross lambs, offered at Barnawatha in northern Victoria.

First cross ewes and ewe lambs were once again in short supply, and prices ranged from $135 to $220. The top price was paid for 424 10 month-old mid-June shorn scanned empty ewes from Tottenham, NSW. The ewes weighed 50.9kg lwt and were mostly score 3. At Blayney in NSW, a line of 327 early December shorn first cross ewe lambs, July-August 2017 drop, and scanned in-lamb to White Suffolk rams, sold for $215. They weighed 49.4kg and were mostly score 2.

A line of 290 11-12 month-old early June shorn Multi Meat/composite ewes scanned 182pc in-lamb to Ultra White rams sold for $217. The ewes weighed 53.2kg and were mostly score 3.

AuctionsPlus said there was strong interest in the four lots up for sale in Tasmania last week, with 17 bidders and six guests logging in to the sale. A mainland processor bought the two top lines, paying up to $180 or 790c/kg cwt for 440 White Suffolk/Cormo cross lambs, August-September 2017 drop, and late January shorn, from Bothwell. The lambs weighed 51.8kg lwt and were mostly score 4.

New season lamb highlights

Poll Dorset cross, 36.6kg lwt, Mar/Apr ‘18 drop, $140.50, Tamworth, NSW

Poll Dorset cross, 34.3kg, Mar/Apr ‘18 drop, $132, Gunnedah, NSW

Poll Dorset cross, 31.6kg, Mar/Apr ‘18 drop, $127, Tamworth, NSW

Poll Dorset cross, 31.7kg, Mar/Apr ‘18 drop, $123, Forbes, NSW

Poll Dorset cross, 30.5kg, Mar/Apr ‘18 drop, $120.50, Tomingley, NSW

White Suffolk cross, 29.3kg, Mar/Apr ‘18 drop, $112.50, Wellington, NSW

First cross mixed sex, 33.6kg, Mar/Apr ‘18 drop, $110.50, Coonamble, NSW

Poll Dorset cross, 27.2kg, Apr/May ‘18 drop, $106, Temora, NSW

First cross mixed sex, 28.7kg, Mar/Apr ‘18 drop, $100.50, Coonamble, NSW

Coolalee cross, 27kg, Mar/Apr ‘18 drop, $100, Dubbo, NSW

White Suffolk cross, 25.4kg, Apr/May ‘18 drop, $95.50 Mindarie, SA

Merino mixed sex, 28.3kgs, Feb/Mar ‘18 drop, $95, Eudunda, South Australia

White Suffolk cross, 26.6kg, Mar/Apr ‘18 drop, $92, Notts Well, SA

Suffolk cross, 22.6kg, Mar/Apr ‘18 drop, $90, Neales Flat, SA

Composite cross, 25.8kg, Mar/May ‘18 drop, $90, Tarnma, SA

Coolalee cross, 23.2kg, Mar/Apr ‘18 drop, $88.50, Dubbo, NSW

Click here to see the state AuctionsPlus listings.

Source: AuctionsPlus.

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