NEW South Wales and Victorian buyers continued to dominate sheep and lamb buying and selling on AuctionsPlus last week.

Strong buyer activity was present from New South Wales, with the Riverina and central west regions securing more than 33,000 head from the catalogue.

The online saleyard offered 109,942 head last week, a drop of 5518 on the previous week. Victorian buyers bought more than 28,000 head during the week and listings from the state rose by 5000.

Clearance remained strong and steady at 77 percent, up 2pc. Online sale numbers were also boosted by 830 head listed in the North South 1st Cross Progeny sale, which had a 71pc clearance.

Merino ewe lambs sell to $191

Merino ewe lambs sold from $100.50 to $191, to average $129, down $16. At Orange in New South Wales, 212 Kerin Poll blood Merino ewe lambs weighing 48kgs with a 5cm fleece sold for the top price.

Merino ewe hoggets sold for an average of $209, an increase of $34, within a price range of $85 to $282. The top price was paid for 350 Pooginook blood hoggets weighing 67kgs with a 5cm fleece, at Grenfell, NSW.

Young Merino ewes make $272

Young 2-4 year-old Merino ewes sold from $132 to $276, to average $191, up $8. A line of 230 Banavie blood ewes, weighing 64kgs with a 2.5cm fleece at Wallaloo East, Victoria, sold for the top price. Proven Merino breeders, four years and older, averaged $161, a fall of $1, and sold from $81 to $235. The top price was paid for a line of 205 rising five year-old ewes weighing 65kgs with a 2.5cm fleece at Wallaloo East, Victoria.

Merino ewes with lambs sell to $310

Merino ewes with lambs averaged $231 and sold from $127 up to $310 for 304 Merino ewes with 331 lambs at Holbrook, NSW. The two year-old Mumblebone blood ewes weighed 59kgs and carried a 2.5cm fleece. Their Border Leicester cross lambs were 1-3 months old and weighed an average of 22kgs.

Merino wethers make $162

Merino wethers ranged from $53 to $162 and averaged $114, up $4. The top price was paid for 247 17-18 month-old wether hoggets from Fiery Flat, VIC. The Woodpark Poll blood wethers weighed 67kgs and hand a 1.25cm fleece. Merino wether lambs averaged $113, down $5, and sold from $53 up to $147 for 500 Glendemar blood lambs weighing 40kgs with a 5cm fleece. They sold to A South Australian buyer at Keith.

First cross ewe lamb yarding drops

AuctionsPlus yarded 3000 fewer first cross ewe lambs and prices dropped by $11 to an average of $182 Prices ranged from $140 up to $225 for the top pen in the North South 1st Cross Progeny Sale for 350 ewe lambs weighing 45kgs. While in the National Lamb sale, a line of 72 ewe lambs weighing 36kgs from Naracoorte, SA achieved $179, selling to a Victorian buyer. First cross ewe hoggets averaged $270 and sold from $180 to $318. First cross ewes sold from $200 to $313 to average $254, up $14. At Stawell in Victoria, 180 rising two year-old ewes weighing 73kgs made $318.

Store lamb supply increases

AuctionsPlus store lamb offering increased by 1600 to 43,930 this week. Clearance dropped to just under 80pc. Supply was dominated by NSW lambs, which made up more than half the offering. Average prices also remained steady at 395c/kg live including skin value, with results from 326-465c/kg achieved. Highlights include:

–         First cross mixed sex lambs, 25kg lwt, $116 or 465c/kg live, Wellington, NSW

–         First cross mixed sex lambs, 28kg, $128 or 452c/kg, Tomingley, NSW

–         White suffolk cross lambs, 29kg, $130 or 448c/kg, Wagga Wagga, NSW

–          Primeline cross lambs, 29kg, $130 or 443c/kg, Cowra, NSW

–          Poll Dorset cross lambs, 32kg, $135 or 420c/kg, Orange, NSW

–          Poll Dorset cross lambs, 35kg, $146 or 410c/kg, Bagshot, VIC

–          Primeline/South Suffolk cross lambs, 35kg, $138 or 393c/kg, Apsley, VIC

–          Poll Dorset cross wether lambs, 42kg, $162 or 386c , Ararat, VIC

–          White Suffolk cross lambs, 35kg, $135 or 384c/kg, Eugowra, NSW

–          First cross mixed sex lambs, 37kg, $141 or 372c/kg, Kingscote, SA