SOUTH Australian producers led the seasonally driven online sheep and sell-off last week, as AuctionsPlus offered 60,841 head nationally, 5544 more than the previous week.

With deteriorating seasonal conditions in parts of South Australia, the state’s producers almost doubled their offering, up 11,126 to 16,069 sheep and lambs, and Queensland also listed more for sale, up 1859 to 4011.

Sheep and lamb listings fell in Victoria and New South Wales, with the biggest sheep state offering 343,957 online, 7175 fewer than the previous week.

Merino ewes and crossbred lambs made up most of the online listings, while Merino wethers were also well-represented. Scattered rain helped offerings decrease in NSW and Victoria.

Merino ewe hoggets sell to $301

Merino ewe lambs recorded an average of $127, down $19 on last week, selling from $88.50 to $182.50. Buyer demand increased alongside this price correction, with a national clearance of 92 percent. The top price was paid for a line of 250 Leahcim blood Poll Merino future breeders from Orroroo, SA. The 12 to 13 month-old ewes weighed 39kgs liveweight.

Merino ewe hoggets sold from $57 to $301 to average $191, bolstered by several high quality listing in South Australia. The top-priced line of 705 head sold in three lots came at Hoyleton, SA, making $50 above the reserve. The ewes are aged 16 to 17 months, weighed 62kgs and were bred on Moorundie blood.

Grown Merino ewes sell to $205

Grown Merino ewes sold from $95 to $205 and averaged $139. This top price was recorded at Jeparit in Victoria for a line of 220 two year-old East Bungaree ewes, weighing 48kgs. In other highlights in NSW, a line of 270 2-4 year-old Severn Park blood ewes at Forbes, and scanned in lamb to White Suffolk rams, sold for $157. A line of 170 five year-old Moorundie Park blood ewes at Yorketown, SA, made $141.50.

Merino wether lambs sell to $121.50

The 2018 drop Merino lambs sold online last week averaged $86, making from $37.50 to $121. The 2017 drop Merino wethers offered averaged $84 and sold from $59 to $121.50. New season lambs were topped by a line of 339 Rice Creek blood wethers out of Blanchetown, SA, aged 4 to 5 months old and weighing 20kgs. The 2017 drop lambs were topped by a line of 550 wethers at Cooma, NSW. The rising one year-old Hazeldean blood wethers weighed 42kgs.

First cross ewes sell to $271

First cross ewes were in short supply online last week and averaged $239, up $65 on last week, from a range of $185.50 to $271. The top price was paid at Nyngan, NSW, for 205 scanned empty 14-15 month-old hoggets. The same vendor sold two other lots from the same drop and recorded an overall average of $253.

In other breeds, a stand-out offering of 800 first cross and East Friesian/Merino cross ewes, aged 12 to 13 months, sold over four lots for up to $245. A line of 160 Dohne ewes, 14 to 16 months-old, at Cummins, SA, made $180. At Cunnamulla, QLD, 221 1-8 year-old White Dorper ewes with 127 lambs sold for $162.

Source: AuctionsPlus.