FORECAST rain helped lift AuctionsPlus sheep and lamb clearance rates last week, with buyers bidding up up to $246 for Merino ewe hoggets and to $240 for first cross ewe lambs.

AuctionsPlus operations supervisor Alexa Hearn said last week’s online sheep and lamb offering rose 6977 head to 63,704.

Buyer confidence was lifted with the prediction of rain earlier in the week and was reflected in the 85 percent clearance across all the national sales, up from 72pc the previous week, she said.

Buyers in central west New South Wales were the most active, securing 11,167 head, including more than 3000 crossbred lambs and 2800 Merino ewes. Other major buying areas in NSW were: the Riverina 5612 head, north-west slopes and plains 4652, south-west slopes and plains 2841, and the southern and northern tablelands 3048.

Victoria’s main buying areas were the south-west Victoria 6531 head, and northern and north-west Victoria 9286. Northern Tasmanian buyers bought 1140 head and 1145 head went to southern Queensland.

Merino ewe hoggets sell to $246

Merino ewe lambs sold from $117 to $241, averaging $152. The top price was paid for a line April-May 2019 drop Kelvale and Kiandra blood Poll Merino ewe lambs at Keith, South Australia. The lambs weighed 44kgs and had with a 4cm fleece. Merino ewe hoggets sold from $120 to $246, averaging $199, up $24 on last week. The top price was paid for a line  of 1.5 year-old Poll Boonoke blood Poll Merino/Merino ewes at Galore, NSW. The ewes weighed 58kgs and carried a 4.5cm fleece.

Unjoined Merino ewes make $230

Unjoined Merino ewes sold from $91 to $230, averaging $167. The top price was paid for a line of 2.5-3.5 year-old Glendemar MPM blood Merino ewes at Bealiba in Victoria. The ewes weighed 55kgs and had a 4cm fleece. Another highlight was a line of 2.5-3.5 year-old Bogo blood Merino ewes weighing 52kgs and fresh of the board at Yass, NSW, that made $218.

Scanned Merino sell to $230

Scanned in-lamb Merino ewes sold from $143 to $230, averaging $194. The top price was paid for a line of 4.5 year-old Yarong and Richmond blood Merino ewes at Boorowa, NSW. The ewes were s scanned in-lamb to Poll Dorset rams, weighed 72kgs and had a 2.5 cm fleece. Another highlight was a line of 4.5 year-old Mumblebone blood Merino ewes at Cudal, NSW, also scanned in-lamb to Poll Dorsets that sold for $225.

Merino wether lambs reach $146

Merino wether lambs sold from $58 to $146, averaging $96, down $5 from the previous week. The top price was paid for a line of June/July 2019 drop Wanganella blood Merino lambs at Ungarie, NSW. The lambs weighed 47kgs and had a 5cm fleece. Another highlight was line of May/June 2019 drop Wood Park blood Merino lambs at Corowa, NSW, that sold for $141. The lambs weighed 42kgs and had a 4cm fleece.

Grown Merino wethers sold from $79 to $120, averaging $106. The top price was paid for a line of 16-17 month-old Karbullah and Bonanza blood wethers weighing 45kgs at Brewarrina, NSW.

First cross ewe lambs sell to $240

First cross ewe lambs sold from $160 to $240, averaging $202, on AuctionsPlus last week. The top price was paid for a line of March/ April 2019 drop ewe lambs weighing 54kgs at Coolamon in Victoria.

Unjoined first cross ewes sold from $171 to $265, averaging $219. The top price was paid for a line of rising three year-old ewes at Great Western in Victoria. The ewes weighed 69kgs after weaning 125pc of lambs.

Only two lines of scanned in-lamb first cross ewes were sold last week on AuctionsPlus, at Wellington, NSW. The 4.5-6.5 year-old ewes weighing 65kgs and in-lamb to White Suffolk and Poll Dorset rams sold for $251. The 3.5-6.5 year-old ewes weighing 63kgs, and also in-lamb to South Suffolk and Poll Dorset rams, sold for $181.

Tasmanian offering increases

Tasmanian vendors offered 1740 sheep and lambs online last week, up 1342. Strong buyer activity resulted in a 89pc clearance to local and mainland buyers. At Campbell Town, two lines of unjoined 16-17 month-old Merino ewe hoggets weighing 48kgs and with a 6cm fleece sold for $191. A line of 13-15 month-old Merino wether hoggets weighing 30kgs and with a 4cm fleece at Dunalley made $59. Crossbred mixed sex lambs averaged 350c/kg liveweight to a top of 366c/kg. The top price was paid for some August/October 2019 drop Primeline cross mixed sex lambs weighing 36kg at Beaconsfield.

Store lambs in demand

Store lambs continued to be in high demand with a 87pc clearance of the 12,952 head offered. Prices ranged from 318-539c/kg live, to average 391c/kg. Highlights included:

– Poll Dorset cross, September 2019 drop, 23kg, $125/ 539c/kg, Wycheproof, VIC

– First cross mixed sex, October/November 2019 drop, 28kg, $133/ 478c/kg Walcha, NSW

– Poll Dorset cross, September 2019 drop, 31kg, $142/ 461c/kg, Bathurst, NSW

– Poll Dorset cross, September/October 2019 drop, 25kg, $115/455c/kg, Walcha, NSW

– Poll Dorset cross, August/September 2019 drop, 27kg, $119/434c/kg, Rutherglen, VIC

– Poll Dorset cross, August/September 2019 drop, 31kg, $131/430c/kg, Georges Plains, NSW

– Poll Dorset cross, August/September 2019 drop, 27kg, $115/426c/kg, Cooma, NSW

– Poll Dorset cross, August/September 2019 drop, 40kg, $168/416c/kg, Georges Plains, NSW

– Poll Dorset cross, September/October 2019 drop, 23kg, $95/408c/kg, Walcha, NSW