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Online lamb prices ease as dry weather lifts supply

Sheep Central, April 11, 2022

These 2.5-3.5 year-old Merino ewes scanned in-lamb 130pc to Border Leicester rams sold for $272 at Warrumbungle, NSW, on AuctionsPlus last week.

LAMB prices eased further on AuctionsPlus last week as dry conditions impacted turn-off online and into physical saleyards.

AuctionsPlus said for the fourth consecutive week, sheep and lamb listings reduced, to 62,534 head,  back 6 percent from the previous week.

Lamb listings reduced from last week with a total of 27,671 head listed. Prices across five of the six lamb categories eased week-on-week, with mixed clearance rates across the categories following the close of auction.

The overall sheep and lamb clearance rates was at 46pc following the immediate closure of all auctions, as selective buying continues to dictate activity. Rounding out the week, post-sale negotiations in the days following increased the overall clearance to 59pc.

Drying conditions across key sheep regions as well as an uptick in processor and export numbers over recent weeks have contributed to the overall softer market across all categories, AuctionsPlus said.

Crossbred lambs were the only category to register higher prices week on week. The average price rose $9 to $157/head, for a 71pc clearance of the 7365 head offered. A line of Poll Dorset/Primeline mixed sex store lambs weighing 42kg lwt at Harden in New South Wales sold for $177/head, or 423c/kg.

AuctionsPlus sold 47pc of the 10,404 Merino wether lambs offered at an average price of $119/head, down $21. A large run of 1000 wether lambs weighing 35kg lwt at Quindanning in Western Australia made $120/head, or 346c/kg.

Merino ewe lambs also registered lower prices, with prices averaging $64 lower at $126/head. AuctionsPlus sold 72pc of the 2418 head offered.

A reduced offering of 1713 composite and other breed ewe lambs sold for $140-$154 to average $147/head, back $19. The category achieved in the lamb categories of 80pc, up from 72pc following the immediate close of the National Lamb Sale on Tuesday.

Joined ewe numbers totalled 21,622 head and accounted for 34pc of the total offering.

Scanned in-lamb Merino ewes averaged $237, back $34, and 61pc of the 10,325 head offered were sold. Topping the category was a line of 19-20 month-old Merino ewes, weighing 72kg at Corowa in NSW that made $330/head.

The 4141 scanned in-lamb composite and other breed ewes offered averaged $295/head, up $41, and 82pc were sold. Returning the top price for the category of $381 was a line of 230 three year-old Primeline weighing 68kg lwt at Woodhouse in Victoria, that sold to a South Australian buyer.

AuctionsPlus sold 62pc of the 2743 scanned in-lamb first cross ewes offered for an average of $278/head, back $25.

The 11,590 unjoined ewes offered accounted for 19pc of the weekly offering. Prices and clearance rates across the categories were largely subdued as cautious buying ruled.

Unjoined Merino ewe hoggets averaged $193, back $26, and 60pc were eventually sold, up from 37pc at the end of the Tuesday Sheep Sale. Unjoined Merino ewes averaged $141, back $25, and the clearance rate was 76pc.

NOTE: Prices as at 5pm, Thursday 7th April 2022

Source: AuctionsPlus.

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