These 11-12 month-old Cashmore Park maternal composite ewes, SIL 154pc, sold for $170 on AuctionsPlus last week.

SHEEP buyers focusing on lamb production provided the bright spots among the reduced AuctionsPlus commercial sheep and lamb listings last week.

Values for first cross ewe lambs, scanned in-lamb Merino and composite ewes, and joined composite ewes improved, but prices in all other categories either fell or were quoted as unchanged.

Listings slipped further this week, with the 39,650 head offered down 11 percent on the previous week.

AuctionsPlus said buying activity during the auctions was quite sporadic, with competition limited, and only 27pc of the catalogue sold at auction. Clearance jumped to 50pc by 5pm Thursday through post-sale negotiations. Value over reserve increased $7 to average $16, while prices were generally lower across the board.

First cross ewes received plenty of attention, with the 1911 head offered across a number of categories reaching a 74pc clearance. First cross ewe lambs returned an 82pc clearance for the 1150 head offered and prices were neatly between $105- $112 to average $110, up $30.

Crossbred lambs continued their falling trend, decreasing for the third week in a row to average $93, down $2. The 3808 head listed was half the previous offering and 66pc were sold at per kilogram prices averaging 251c/kg lwt, up 12 cents. At Bessiebelle in Victoria, 590 September/October 2022 drop White Suffolk cross mixed sex store lambs weighing 35kg sold for $104, clearing reserve by $12.

The average price for Merino wether lambs fell $9 to $50/head for the 3673 head offered. AuctionsPlus said clearance was subdued, as it was across the board for all Merino categories, with 47pc of the category finding a buyer. At Molong in New South Wales, 330 May 2022 drop Gullengamble blood lambs weighing 40kg lwt made the top price of $62.

The scanned in-lamb Merino ewe supply increased by 34pc to 8732 and the larger offering was met with stronger buyer confidence, with the clearance reaching 60pc. The average price lifted $12 to $120. At Ilfracombe in western Queensland, 540  two year-old Merino ewes weighing 60kg lwt, scanned in-lamb to Poll Boonoke rams passed reserve by $22 to sell for $107.

Only one line of first cross ewes was offered and the 145 unjoined hoggets at Numurkah in Victoria sold for $92. The 18-19 month-old ewes weighed 40kg lwt and sold to a northern Victorian buyer.

Note: Prices as at 5pm Thursday, 16th June 2023

Source – AuctionsPlus.