These scanned empty 10-12 month-old first cross ewe lambs sold for $291 on AuctionsPlus at Coonamble, NSW, last week.

PRIME lamb and maternal crossbred lamb prices improved in an overall reduced sheep and lamb offering on AuctionsPlus last week.

AuctionsPlus said sheep and lamb listings decreased 36 percent to 44,769 head last week, breaking the recent run of increased weekly throughput.

Prices fluctuated across the sheep and lamb categories, despite the decrease in supplies. Lambs observed a price increase in three-out-of-five categories, with average prices improving for crossbred, first cross ewe and shedding breed lambs, but falling for Merino wether and ewe lambs.

The same trend was apparent in the joined ewes, with average prices improving for scanned in-lamb first cross, composite and shedding breed ewes, but falling for scanned in-lamb Merino ewes and sound mouth shedding ewes.

AuctionsPlus offered 8689 Merino wether lambs last week, but despite supplies decreasing from the previous week, demand was also weaker, with only a 49pc clearance achieved. The average price fell $2 to $133/head. Merino ewe lambs maintained a healthy clearance rate of 67pc for the 1845 head offered, but the average price fell $12 to $187.

The average price increase of $94 to $249 for crossbred lambs was the biggest increase for the week, with 64pc of the 5473 offered selling.

First cross ewes averaged $270, up $46, and continued to be in high demand, achieving an 83pc clearance for the 1678 head offered.

AuctionsPlus’ joined ewe offering halved last week, with only 13,627 head listed. However, an increase in average prices was achieved in three of the six categories – highlighted by the scanned in-lamb shedding breed ewes. The 1640 head offered averaged $480, up $84, with a strong 95pc clearance rate for the 1640 head. AuctionsPlus said prices for this category jumped largely due to a run of 41 scanned in-lamb certificed Tattykeel blood Australian White ewe lambs, that made an unprecedented $988 to break the previous record by more than $300. The 10-11 month-old ewe lambs averaged just over 57kg and were joined to Tattykeel AW stud rams.

Sound mouth shedding breed ewes continue to be highly sought after, with a total clearance of the 492 offered, although prices softened to average $301, down $118.

Unjoined ewe lines generally climbed in value, with only one category – first cross ewes — reporting a cheaper trend. First cross ewes averaged $253, down $39, with only a 44pc clearance of the 857 head offered.

NOTE: Prices as at 5pm, Thursday 17th June, 2021