RECENT rain lifted online sheep and lamb buying confidence across Australia last week, especially in the eastern states.

Prices increased in many sheep and lamb categories, and AuctionsPlus reported further movement of stock across the country, with the continued strong demand in New South Wales and Victoria drawing stock from Western Australia and Tasmania.

NSW’s central western region was again the most successful purchasing are, acquiring 15,773 of the total 88,018 head offered online last week.

Merino ewe price average lifts $25

Merino ewe prices remained strong last week with a $25 increase on the average from the previous week. Merino ewe hoggets saw the largest price increase making from $165 to $315 and averaging $226, up $51. The top price was paid for a line of unjoined ewe hoggets weighing 57kg from Rocklyn Merino at Grenfell, NSW. The Rocklyn blood ewes sold to a local producer. A line of 620 unjoined two year-old ewes weighing 37kg at Ilfracombe in Queensland sold to a buyer at Forbes in central west NSW for $219.

Young scanned Merino ewes sell to $357

Young Merino ewes 2-4 years old were cleared at prices from $144 to $357 and averaging $244, up $9. The top price was paid for 330 June-July 2017 drop scanned in-lamb ewes from N.F. & B.T. Templeton at Manangatang in Victoria that weighed 71kgs and carried a 3.75cm fleece. Other highlights included 109 scanned in-lamb May-June 2017 drop ewes from the same vendor that weighed 72kgs and sold for $343.

Older Merino ewes sell to $224

Proven Merino breeders 4-7 years-old sold from $129 to $302 and averaged $224, up $29. The top price was paid a buyer at Coolamon, NSW, for a line of rising six year-old scanned in-lamb ewes from K.L. Kuhne at Rand, NSW. The ewes were joined to Poll Dorset rams and weighed 69kgs. A line of 168 mixed age Merino ewes weighing 65kgs from Inver Park at Kingston, South Australia, sold for $292 to a buyer at Naracoorte, South Australia.

Merino wether lambs sell to $191

AuctionsPlus offered 9180 Merino wethers and lambs last week, and most sold for $94 to $193 and averaged $157, up $7. The large offering of 6243 Merino wether lambs sold from $110 to $191, averaging $151. The top price was paid by a Naracoorte buyer for 580 May-June 2019 drop lambs from the Lines Family Trust at Keith that weighed 45kg and carried a 3.75cm fleece.

At Broken Hill in NSW, Wirryilka Pastoral sold 450 North Cowie blood August-October 2019 drop Merino store wether lambs weighing 37kgs for $173 to a buyer at Moree, NSW. A line of July-August drop lambs weighing 41kgs from Baratta Pastoral at Jamestown, SA, sold to a buyer at Mildurain Victoria for $139.

The 2937 Merino wethers offered sold from $94 to $193, averaging $168, up $24. The highlight was three lines of 1860 wethers at Longreach, Queensland, selling to buyer at Cranbourne in Victoria.

Scanned first cross ewes sell to $413

The average price for scanned in-lamb first cross dropped again last week to $315, although recorded the top price across all stock categories was $413 for a line of 21-22 month-old ewes SIL to Poll Dorset rams, paid by a NSW buyer at Ungarie. The ewes were offered by Aitken & Meehan Farming at Beckom, NSW, and weighed 80kgs with 3cm fleece.

First cross ewe lambs sold from $141 to $340, averaging $259. The top price was paid by a Goulburn buyer for a line of May-June 2019 lambs weighing 58kg from Aitken & Meehan Farming.

Most first cross ewe lambs stayed relatively local with only three lots heading interstate. Victorian breeders M. & C. Gleadow from Violet Town sold one line to a buyer at Lavington, NSW, for $164, and the other line sold to a buyer at Strathalbyn, SA, for $250.

Unjoined first cross sold from $161 to $278 to average $36 higher than last week. A strong clearance of 93pc was achieved for the 1264 head offered. The top price was paid by a buyer at Invergordon in Victoria, for 290 unjoined rising four year-old ewes weighing 64kgs with a 7cm fleece from Anthony Collins at Bridgewater On Loddon in Victoria.

Tasmanians buy back state’s offering

Tasmania offered 6225 sheep and lambs on AuctionsPlus last week, with 84pc being sold. Most lines sold to Tasmanian buyers; however, two lots sold to mainland buyers including one at Dubbo in western NSW.

The Merino ewes offered online in Tasmania all sold last week, making $90 to $132 and averaging $114. The top price was paid for a line of unjoined four year-old Merino ewes weighing 48kgs from D.J & L.M Manning at Westbury.

The state’s online offering was boosted last week by 5100 crossbred lambs that sold for $118 to $170 and averaged $152. The top price was paid for September-October 2019 drop Poll Dorset cross lambs weighing 40kgs from J.D.R. & L.J. Peddie at Cluan. The lambs sold to a Launceston buyer. A line of Composite cross mixed sex lambs from Salmon Pastoral at Ross sold for $169, also to a Launceston buyer.

Western Australian sheep sell to Queensland buyer

Western Australian producers listed 3000 sheep and lambs on AuctionsPlus last week, with ewes making $165 to $213 and averaging $191. The top price was paid for a line of 3.5-4 year-old Grass Valley blood ewes weighing 67 kgs from J.C. Dempster & Son to a buyer at Cunnamulla in Queensland.

Store lamb prices average 37c/kg lwt higher

Store lamb numbers steadied last week, with 93pc of the 8137 head offered selling from 418-752c/kg liveweight, and averaging 553c/kg, up 37 cents. Highlights included:

–              Sept/Oct ’19 drop, 28kg 2nd X Poll Dorset mixed sex lambs from GUYRA, NSW sold for $180 or 655c

–              Jun/Jul ’19 drop, 37kg Composite wether lambs from BULART, VIC sold for $176 or 500c

–              Aug/Sept ’19 drop, 41kg 2nd X White Suffolk mixed sex lambs from BOOROWA, NSW sold for $206 or 526c

–              Oct/Nov ’19 drop, 34kg 2nd X Poll Dorset mixed sex suckers from BLAYNEY, NSW sold for $191 or 577c

–              Jul/Aug ’19 drop, 34kg 1st X White Suffolk mixed sex lambs from PARUNA, SA sold for $166 or 493c

–              Jul/Sept ’19 drop, 42kg 2nd X Southdown mixed sex lambs from GLENTHOMPSON, VIC sold for $182 or 461c