These 5.5 Merinop ewes scanned 155pc in-lamb to Border Leicester rams at Welling, NSW, sold for $244 on AuctionsPlus last week.

LAMB and store sheep prices generally declined on AuctionsPlus last week, although strong post-sale negotiations strengthened clearance rates by the end of the week.

Average prices only improved for composite and other breed lambs, Merino ewes with lambs, scanned in-lamb first cross ewes, and unjoined Merino ewe hoggets and older ewes.

AuctionsPlus commercial sheep and lamb listings increased 25 percent last week to 62,652 head.

The increased supplies brought mixed results, with joined offerings back on last week, while the unjoined Merino ewe offering strengthened. Five categories achieved a 100pc clearance after post-sale negotiations.

The offering of 7,209 crossbred lambs was 13pc up on the previous week on last week. Prices averaged $147/head, steady on last week. At Guyra in New South Wales, 754 Poll Dorset cross mixed sex store lambs weighing 47kg lwt sold for the top price of $186.

Merino wether and ewe lamb offerings increase

The biggest lamb category was the 7511 Merino wether lambs that averaged $118, back $2. Post-sale negotiations raised the clearance rate rise from a subdued 19pc after the Tuesday sale to 43pc by Thursday evening. A line of 246 store wether lambs weighing 36kg lwt at Ledcourt, Victoria, made $136.

The Merino ewe lamb offering rose 86pc to 1686 head. They sold from $181 to $200 and averaged $191, back $45. The category achieved the strongest lamb clearance at the close of sale of 52pc.

Composite/other breed lambs experienced the only price jump for the lamb categories this week, up $10, to average $157. AuctionsPlus sold 64pc of the 3415 head offered.

Joined ewe prices ease

Prices for all breeding ewe category eased, except for scanned in-lamb first cross ewes, with mixed clearance rates. AuctionsPlus initially sold 49pc of the 12,498 SIL Merino ewes offered, and this rose to 67pc clearance after the sale to generate an average price of $224, back $16. A line of 65 rising six year-old Poll Merino ewes, weighing 69kg lwt, scanned in-lamb to Border Leicester rams at Mundulla in South Australia, sold for $244.

The 3180 SIL first cross ewes averaged $326, up $46. At Gundagai in NSW, 136 11-12 month-old firsr cross ewes weighing 47kg and scanned in-lamb to Poll Dorset rams made $354.

The clearance rate for the 2722 SIL shedding breed ewes rose form 84pc after the sale to 90pc by the end of the week, the highest for the joined ewe categories. They averaged $396, $192 on the previous week.

AuctionsPlus offered 1673 unjoined Merino ewes, 23pc fewer. The category achieved the biggest price rise for the week, with lines averaging $200, up $51. At Conargo in NSW, 188 3-4 year-old scanned empty ewes weighing 72kg lwt made $200.

Source: AuctionsPlus.