SOUTHERN buyers dominated the bidding in online sheep and lamb sales last week, as rain increased demand for a bigger AuctionsPlus offering.

AuctionsPlus offered 111,567 sheep and lambs last week, boosted by a 7275-head offering in the Cashmore Oaklea Special Ewe Sale.

Prices increased for most categories, with particular interest in young Merino ewes. Strong interstate bidding occurred in all sales, with 40 percent of the offering secured across borders.

New South Wales and Victorian buyers were particularly active, purchasing out of four states and snapping up all of the Queensland offering.

The Queensland sheep and lamb listings rose 2836 to 6299, New South Wales producers offered 55,429, up 1100, and in South Australia, 17,059 head were offered, up 4370. In Victoria, 32,093 sheep and lambs were offered, 3916 fewer, and in Tasmania, the offering dropped 884 to 689.

Merino ewes sell to $263

The number of Merino ewes offered rose 15,180 to 37,368, boosted by 1813 head in Western Australia offered in the Kojonup Special Sheep Sale.

Merino ewe lambs averaged $112 and sold from $66 to $197, with heavier lambs making more. The top price was paid for 237 8-9 month-old 45kg lambs, at Karoonda in South Australia. In Deniliquin, New South Wales, a lighter line of 470 East Loddon blood 6 month-old lambs weighing 22kgs lwt, made $136.

Merino ewe hoggets sold from $77.50 to $262, averaging $157. The top price was paid for the heaviest line drafted from 2425 ewes by ‘Barooka Props’ at Kingston in south-east South Australia. In the offering, 920 16-18 month-old hoggets bred on Glendemar MPM bloodlines, averaged $240 and sold to a NSW buyer at Coonamble, more than 1200kms away. Grown ewes averaged $144, selling from $75 to $263. The top price was paid for 2.5 year old ‘Barooka Props’ ewes at Kingston, SA.

Merino wethers make $120

AuctionsPlus said Merino wethers were well-represented in last week’s listings, with 24,099 head offered. Wether lambs averaged $78, selling from $45 to $120. The top-priced line of 275 7-8 month-old lambs, weighing 41kgs lwt at Elmore in Victoria, sold to a NSW processor. Grown wethers sold from $82 to $107 and averaged $99. The top price was paid for two separate lines; including a line of 640 September-shorn 12-15 month-old hoggets weighing 50kgs at Yass, NSW. The second top-priced line was 1940 two-year-old Gingie blood wethers weighing 50kgs at St George in Queensland.

First cross ewes reach $247

First cross ewes remained tight in supply, with 7280 head offered online. Demand for ewe lambs was down; however, a stand-out line of 220 7-8 month-old lambs at Coonamble, NSW, sold for $221. Grown ewes averaged $214 and ranged from $121 to $247. The top price was paid for 132 2.5 year-old ewes weighing 65kgs at Brimpaen in Victoria. The ewes were part of a larger offering of 538 head, aged between 1.5 to 3.5 years from ‘Raewood Partnership’ that averaged $239.

Source: AuctionsPlus.