STRONG competition for store lambs boosted clearance levels in AuctionsPlus online sheep and lamb sales last week.

AuctionsPlus said sheep and lamb numbers were back again last week, dropping 13,578 to 70,923 head.

Numbers were boosted this week with the interfaced Jamestown store sheep sale where 13,678 head from the total yarding of 24,000 were also listed online. AuctionsPlus connected 147 bidders the Jamestown sale and they participated on 28 lots. Three separate buyers from Victoria and New South Wales bought 14 lots.

Store lamb numbers totalled 15,696 head on AuctionsPlus last week, down 7366 head. This increased buyer competition with store lambs hitting a clearance of 92 percent.

Merino ewe lambs to $210

Merino ewe lambs sold to a top of $210, for an average of $152, down $14 on the previous week. The top price was paid for a line of July/September 2018 drop Pastora blood Merino lambs from Yerong Creek, NSW. They weighed 48kgs and had a 5cm fleece.

Merino ewe hoggets sold to a top of $335, for an average of $226, up $43. The top price went to a line of unjoined 17-18 month-old Moorundie blood ewes from Hoyleton, South Australia. The ewes weighed 65kgs and had a 2cm fleece.

Proven Merino breeders sold to a top of $206, for an average of $155, up $4. The top price was paid for line two year-old Pooginook blood ewes from Warren, NSW. The bare shorn ewes weighed 54kgs.

Merino wether lambs make $141

Merino wether lambs sold to a top of $141, for an average of $112, down $2. The top price went to a line of April/May 2018 drop Poll Merino lambs weighing 40kgs and with a 5cm skin from Pyap West, SA. Other highlights include April/ May 2019 drop lambs, 40kg, from Coolah NSW $140; April/ May 2019 drop lambs, 38kg, from Coomandook, SA, $136.

Grown Merino wethers sold to a top of $128, for an average of $118, down $10. Other highlights include 14-15 month-old wethers weighing 46kg at Deniliquin, NSW, that sold for $122 and two year-old wethers weighing 47kg at Wollogorang, NSW, $120.

First cross ewes reach $247

AuctionsPlus sold first cross ewe lambs to a top of $247 last week, for an average of $197, down $12. The top price was paid for September/October 2018 drop lambs weighing 57kgs from Gulargambone, NSW. Other highlights include March/April 2019 drop lambs, 34kgs, at Trangie, NSW, $220.

First cross hoggets sold to a top of $250, for an average of $233, down $20. The top price went to a line 12-13 month-old ewes weighing 63kgs at Boorowa, NSW. Other highlights included 13-15 month-old hoggets, 58kgs, at Dubbo, NSW, $246, and 12-13 month-old hoggets, 56kgs, at Trangie, NSW, $236.

Ewes with lambs sell to $247

Ewes and lambs sold to a top of $372 on AuctionsPlus last week, for an average of $247, down $29. The top price was paid for a line of 2-4 year-old first cross ewes weighing 66kgs, with 28kg Poll Dorset lambs. Another highlight was 1.5 year-old first cross ewes with Poll Dorset lambs at Cudal, NSW, that sold for $293.

Top AuctionsPlus lamb sales

–              Poll Dorset cross, April/May 2019, 41kg, $164.50 or 402c/kg lwt, Tooraweenah, NSW

–              Poll Dorset cross, April 2019 drop, 39kg, $164.50 or 418c/kg, Ganmain, NSW

–              First cross mixed sexes, June/July 2019 drop, 30kg, $148 or 498c/kg, Tooraweenah, NSW

–              White Suffolk cross, June/July 2019 drop, 31kg, $150 or 482c/kg, Euroa, VIC

AuctionsPlus also achieved a 100pc clearance at its monthly goat sale. The 39 bucks offered last week sold to a top price of $575 each for five Australian Red bucks from Blackall, QLD.