These mixed sex 2024 drop Poll Dorset-Merino cross lambs weighing 21kg lwt at Longreach in Queensland sold for $74 on AuctionsPlus last week.

PRICES lifted for Merino wether and first cross ewe lambs, Merino wethers and some Merino ewe lines on AuctionsPlus last week.

The average prices of first cross ewe lambs lifted $48 to $186 for the 3009 offered, although selective buying resulted in a 59pc clearance rate.

At Gilgandra in New South Wales, two even lines of 200 August/September 2023 drop first cross ewe lambs weighing 69kg lwt sold for $250/head.

Merino ewe hoggets averaged $114/head for the 773 head on offer. At Burra in South Australia, 460 14-15 month-old Poll Merino ewe hoggets weighing 40kg sold for $120 to a buyer in Narrandera, NSW.

The AuctionsPlus commercial sheep and lamb offering for the week was steady at 33,342 head offered.

The clearance rate lifted 16 percent to finish the week at 72pc. AuctionsPlus said the overall clearance rate was driven by demand for lamb categories that cleared 73pc. The joined ewe offering experienced more varied results with a 51pc clearance rate.

The crossbred lamb indicator fell a further 11pc to $114/head and the AuctionsPlus Restocker Lamb indicator lifted 3c/kg to average 688c/kg dressed.

The value over reserve averaged $8/head over set reserves, lifting $1 from the previous week. Lots that sold during the auction averaged $15/head above reserve, but the figure dropped during post-auction transactions.

The new season lamb offering lifted again to 20,387 head up from 17,690 the previous week. This category made up 61pc of the total yarding. New season lambs achieved a 74pc clearance rate, up from 51pc the previous week; however, the average price fell to $110 from $127.

Joined ewes made up the second-largest offering with 8pc of the offering and achieving good increases in prices.

Listings increased significantly in Queensland but fell in New South Wales. Listings also rose in South Australia, with 1561 more head listed than last week, bringing the total to 9275 head offered.

Central Western NSW was the largest purchasing region, securing 4,712 head, or 26pc of the total offering, with the North West Slopes & Plains coming in second with 2,058 head purchased. AuctionsPlus said purchases also increased in Victoria, where 1644 more head were picked up than the previous week, bringing the total to 3,670 head.

AuctionsPlus offered 16,993 crossbred lambs last week, up 13pc. However, the larger supply led to prices softening for the second consecutive week, averaging $114/head—a decrease of $13. At Carabost in NSW, 320 mixed sex April/May 2024 drop Poll Dorset cross lambs weighing 19kg sold for $120, or 649c/kg lwt.

Note: Prices as at 5pm Thursday, August 16th, 2024.

Source – AuctionsPlus.