These 4-9 month-old Boer doe kids sold for $82 at Roma in Queensland on AuctionsPlus last month.

AUSTRALIA’S commercial goat market remained subdued during February although online listings improved.

AuctionsPlus listed 2014 head last month, up 29 percent from January but 27pc below December listings.

Prices were stable on January, with Boer does averaging $71, up $2 month-on-month, for a 67pc clearance. The February online offering was significantly higher at 808 head.

AuctionsPlus sold 42pc of the 710 rangeland/Boer does offered for an average of $40 or 132c/kg lwt.

Rangeland does struggled to sell, with AuctionsPlus achieving an 11pc clearance rate for the 345 head offered. Prices averaged $50 or 145c/kg lwt. The 23 Boer cross does offered averaged $134.

AuctionsPlus said post-auction negotiations played an even more prevalent role in February, as agents and bidders utilised the 48 hours after a sale to reach a middle ground. Of the goats sold online during February, 32pc were purchased at auction, down from 38pc in January. Post-auction negotiations accounted for 67pc of sales, up from 60pc, while the “Meet Reserve” feature accounted for 1pc.

Source – AuctionsPlus