AUCTIONSPLUS’ online sheep and lamb listings increased slight last week, dominated by Merino wethers and lambs as dry conditions continued.

Agents offered 73,992 sheep and lambs, up 312 from the previous week, with New South Wales offering increasing by 8110 head to 46,998 and Queensland’s listings lifting 2870 to 7337 head.

Listings in Tasmania also increased – by 4319 to 5665 – but fell in Victoria, by 800 to 7230, and in South Australia, by 21,000 to 6782 head.

The highlight of the week was the ongoing demand for crossbred lambs, with a 97 percent clearance in New South Wales, slight down from the 100pc sale rate the previous week.

AuctionsPlus’ Matt Cotton said growers are seeing trade lambs as more enticing than joining ewes.

“One other small factor at play could be the South African foot and mouth disease outbreak, which has led China to suspend buying from the region.

“This in turn has decreased (world) supply of crossbred wool.”

Unjoined Merino ewes sell $166.50

Unjoined Merino ewes sold from $52 to $166.50, averaging $98, for a 62pc clearance. The top price went to a line of 530 pure Merino ewes from Nevertire, NSW. The 30-42 month-old ewes weighed 50kg, had a 5cm fleece, and sold to a buyer at Melrose in South Australia. Another highlight was a line of 192 Merino ewes at Forbes, NSW that sold for $141. The 2.5 year-old ewes weighed 51kgs, had a 6cm fleece, sold to a buyer in Wando Vale, Victoria.

Scanned Merino ewes sell to $216

AuctionsPlus achieved a 72pc clearance rates for scanned in-lamb Merino ewes last week at prices ranging from $110 to $216 and an average of $166. The top price went to a line of 210 Merino ewes at Burra, SA, that were scanned in-lamb to White Suffolk rams. The 2.5 year-old ewes weighed 73kgs and sold to a buyer at Naracoorte, SA. A line of 252 Lewisdale Base blood ewes at Dumosa in Victoria sold for $211 to a buyer at Horsham in Victoria. The 20-22 month-old ewes weighed 64kg and were scanned in-lamb to Poll Dorset rams.

Strong demand for Merino ewe lambs

Mr Cotton said there was a strong demand for Merino ewe lambs online last week, with Auctionsplus achieving an 86pc clearance. Merino ewe lambs sold from $83 to $108 and averaged $90. The top price was paid for 76 June-July 2018 drop ewe lambs at Mypolonga, SA. The 37kg lambs weighed 37kgs sold to a buyer at Kingscote, SA. Buying interest was strong out of south-west Victoria, with the region buying 18pc of Merino ewes and ewe lambs listed.

Merino wethers sell to $106

There was a strong increase in demand for Merino wethers online last week, with 79pc of head listed finding buyers. The strongest region was NSW, with 92pc of the 5500 head listed finding buyers. Prices ranged from $56 to $106 and averaged $83. The top price was paid for 1000 wethers in two lots at Jugiong, NSW. The 1.5 year-old Hazeldean blood wethers averaged 46kgs and are producing an 18 micron fleece. Both lots will be heading to Victoria.

Scanned first cross ewes make $303

Scanned in-lamb first cross ewes sold from $176-$303 and averaged $236, with a 77pc clearance. The top price was paid by a Penola buyer for 184 23-24 month-old ewes at Keith, SA. They weighed 79kgs and had a 5cm fleece.

Crossbred lambs averaged 305c/kg, with a low of 252c/kg and a high of 378c/kg. An average clearance of 92pc was achieved across all regions. The top price was paid for 297 mixed sex Poll Dorset cross lambs at Holbrook, NSW. The 30kg June/July 2018 drop lambs sold to a buyer at Swan Hill in Victoria.

Mr Cotton said interest remained strong in AuctionsPlus’ Tasmanian sheep sales, with an 85pc clearance of the 5665 head listed. The top price of $130 was paid for a line of unjoined 1-2 year-old White Suffolk/Cormo cross ewes at Bothwell. The ewes weighed 53 kgs and sold to a buyer at Bagdad in Tasmania.

Source: AuctionsPlus.