ONLINE forward contracting of lambs looks set to continue in Australia after the first successful AuctionsPlus sale last week.

Last Friday’s sale was supplied by the clients of two agents with 8090 lambs and attracted 22 agents, producer and agent bidders. All lambs were contracted to Victorian processors.

AuctionsPlus sold new season Poll Dorset cross and White Dorper lambs from Hay, NSW, for 600-620c/kg cwt, including skin value, in the sale, and a further 5670 2015-drop, Merino lambs from Louth, Collie and Dubbo, NSW, sold for 500-530c/kg in post-sale negotiations, exclusive of skin value (skins-be tendered post slaughter).

The top price was $151.90, or 620c/kg cwt including skin value, for 1000 April-May drop Poll Dorset new season lambs from the Bertangles Partnership at Hay. The lambs consigned via Hay Plains Livestock’s Ed Lilburne were estimated to weigh 24.5kg cwt on delivery on August 29 within a range of 18-32kg cwt.

A 1000 mixed sex March-April White Dorper lambs from AJ & HA Mclean Greenvale, Booligal via Hay — estimated-weigh 21.6kg cwt at delivery on September 1 within a range of 18-25kg – that sold for $129.60, or 600c/kg cwt including skin value, through Hay Plains Livestock.

Landmark Bourke agent Greg Seiler consigned 420 August-September 2015-drop early July shorn Merino wether lambs for Parkdale Merinos at Dubbo – that were estimated to weigh 22.2kg cwt on delivery on September 4 — for $111, or 500c/kg cwt.

Other 2015 drop Merino lambs from Louth, Collie and Dubbo in New South Wales, sold from 500-530c/kg in post-sale negotiations, exclusive of skin value (skins-be tendered post slaughter). These lambs are to be delivered at 18-32kg cwt (most 20-24kg), between mid-August and mid-September. All lambs were sold to Victorian processors, with the lambs from Louth having an additional freight component of about 40 cents.

Mr Lilburne said the online forward contract option helped his client know where he was going with lamb marketing.

“Traditionally, when you head into spring the market comes off and we allowed for that in the sale.

“If those lambs were the same lambs in a month and we sent them today you will only get 630-650c/kg, but 620c/kg for the second cross lambs on farm with not a lot of joy in the skin job at the moment…” he said.

“We just want to know where we are heading, we’ve got plenty more behind them, so it’s a start.

“If we take $150 for a lamb straight off mum, we are pretty happy.”

Mr Lilburne said he had two other producers, including a SAMM breeder, keen to participate in the next sale on August 23 at 12pm, catering for forward contract or spot market options, and prime or store lambs.

“The beauty of it is we know where we are heading, lambs are going to trucked all over the nation and it’s playing ball on our terms a bit.”

The selling agent for the Merino lambs, Greg Seiler of Landmark Bourke, said he was pleased to be able to utilise the new concept, letting his clients come to the market and secure a price forward.

Click here to see the AuctionsPlus forward contract lamb sale statistics.

Composite ewes and lambs to $268 on AuctionsPlus

First cross ewe lambs sold from $122.50-$164 on AuctionsPlus last week, with the top-price being paid for 200 10-12 month-old early April shorn lambs, 37.9kg lwt and mostly score 2, from Narromine, NSW. A line of 250 June-July 2015-drop unjoined mid-December shorn first cross ewes from Goulburn, NSW, that weighed 45.5kg lwt and were mostly score 2 sold for $171.50.

First cross ewes with lambs made from $196 up to $230 for 220 5-7 year-old mid-October shorn ewes at Violet Town in Victoria. The ewes weighed 65kg lwt, were mostly score 3, and had 290 3-4 month-old Poll Dorset cross lambs with an average liveweight of 30kg. A buyer also paid $227 for 250 five-year-old mid-August shorn ewes with 140 percent 2-9 week-old Poll Dorset lambs averaging 19kg lwt at Strathmerton in northern Victoria.

Composite ewe lambs sold well last week, with 100 11-13 month-old mid-October shorn Cashmore-Oaklea blood ewe lambs, 60.2kg lwt and mostly score 3, and scanned 100pc in lamb to composite rams, making $237.50, at Nora Creinam, South Australia. Another 280 sold for $235.50. Older scanned composite ewes made $188-$216.

A line of 261 2-7 year-old mid-December shorn composite ewes with 398 4-9 week-old composite lambs at Strathkellar in Victoria sold for $268. The ewes weighed 69.1kg cwt and were mostly score 3.

Scanned in lamb Merino ewes made from $75-$180, averaging $124. The top price was paid for 245 2-3 year old bare shorn Glendemar blood ewes, 56.1kg lwt and mostly score 3, from Gilgandra, NSW, 100pc scanned in lamb to Poll Dorset rams. Merino ewes with lambs sold from $183 up to $207 for 355 rising three year-old mid-December shorn Gotta Rock blood ewes, 62.3kg lwt and mostly score 2, at Barraba, NSW, with 220 1-20 week-old Border Leicester cross lambs.

Merino wether lambs last week sold from $55-$100.50 online, averaging $82. The top line of 430 June-July drop late February shorn lambs at Coonamble, NSW, weighed 16.6kg cwt and were mostly score 2.

Grown Merino wethers averaged $118 and made from $70 up to $160.50 for 446 three year old mid-August shorn Merryville blood wethers at Goulburn, NSW, weighing 18.7-19kg cwt and mostly score 2. They sold to a local buyer after strong interstate competition.

The store lamb market this week was topped by a line of 490 mixed sex unshorn March-April drop Border Leicester/Dohne lambs from Goodooga, NSW, that weighed 17.7kg cwt and were mostly score 3, that sold for $140.50, likely with future-breeder value factored in.

New season lambs up to 27kg lwt sold for $105, or 392c/kg lwt including skin value, 31-32kg suckers made $102.50-$108 to average $105 or 339c/kg lwt, and 33-35kg young lambs sold for $102-$116.50 to average $111 or 326c/kg lwt.

NLRS restocker indicator recovers

Improved restocker demand on new season lambs helped the National Livestock Reporting Service’s Eastern States Daily Indicator for restocker lambs recover some ground on Friday, rebounding 19 cents after big losses earlier in the week.

After Friday’s saleyard sales, the ESDIs for lamb, their daily and weekly changes were: restocker 561c/kg, up 19 cents daily, down 56 cents for the week; Merino 562c/kg, up 10c, up 11c; light 583c/kg, up 5c, up 19c; trade 645c/kg, up 1c, up 9c; heavy 645c/kg, no change, up 4c.

The ESDI for mutton added 1 cent to rise 9 cents for the week, closing on 395c/kg.

Cowra yards 4100 new season lambs

In New South Wales at the Cowra saleyards on Friday, the agents yarded 8400 lambs, 3050 more than last week, and 730 sheep, 230 more.

The NLRS said new season lambs provided most of the increased lamb yarding, with 4100 offered. Quality was good, particularly in the new season lines, and the heavy older grades were also well-presented.

Mainly trade lambs were penned, with fewer heavy weights. The lighter grades were limited and all the buyers operated in an easier market.

Light new season lambs sold to local restockers for $106-$112.50. Medium and heavy trade weight new seasons were $6-$14 cheaper after last week’s very strong market and averaged from 660-670c/kg cwt. Trade weights sold from $140-$165. Light old lambs sold around firm at $99-$110. Medium and heavy trade weights were firm and averaged 610c/kg cwt at $128-$140. Heavy weight lambs were slightly cheaper at 580-640c/kg. A few pens sold from $170-$185, reaching $198 for a pen of extra heavy weight lambs with an estimated carcase weight of 28kg.

Sheep quality was mixed. Heavy first cross ewes were $6-$13 dearer at $101-$115, or 345c-380c/kg.

Griffith market steady

At the Griffith saleyards on Friday, the agents yarded 7400 lambs, 1496 fewer than last week, and 2300 sheep, 398 less.

The NLRS said lamb quality was very mixed, with well-finished and plainer lambs offered. Most were heavy lambs. There were 2200 new season lambs penned and quality was fair. The usual buyers competed in a fairly steady market.

Trade and heavy weight new season lambs sold from $137-$166, to average 664-683c/kg cwt. Light old lambs sold from $104-$124. Trade weights held firm to slightly better at $125-$154. Heavy and extra heavy weights were also fairly steady. Heavy lambs made from $152-$165 and extra heavies $162-$210. Carcase prices ranged from 636-651c/kg.

Most of the sheep were Merinos and quality was mixed. Prices lifted, with Merino ewes selling from $94-$130. Crossbred ewes made $75-$135. Heavy Dorper ewes averaged $107.

Sources: MLA, NLRS, AuctionsPlus.