These two year-old scanned in-lamb Merino hoggets sold for $323 on AuctionsPlus at Nyngan last week.

SHEEP and lamb prices eased in most categories in online AuctionsPlus sales last week, but Merino ewe hogget and wether lamb prices continued to rise.

The average price for Merino ewe hoggets increased by $24 to $258 and Merino wether prices also lifted $4 to average $171.

Sheep and lamb numbers increased by 3077 to 71,382 head, and a clearance rate of 77 percent was achieved, holding firm on the previous week.

AuctionsPlus said the hungry restocking regions of central west New South Wales and the Riverina continued their reign as dominant purchasing areas, acquiring 28,323 head.

The number of store lambs offered more than doubled and all were sold, highlighting the continuing demand from restockers, AuctionsPlus said.

Merino ewe lambs sell to $270

The 5554 Merino ewe lambs offered, 2327 fewer, sold from $144 to $270 to average $209, easing $23. The top price was achieved by SJO Haulage’s May/June 2019 drop Parakeelya blood Merino lambs that weighed 55 kgs, at Elmore in Victoria.  Another highlight was three lines of 250 Merino ewe lambs from the Pamatta Pastoral Co at Burra, South Australia, that sold $213-$214 to a NSW buyer at Broken Hill. The June/July 2019 drop lambs weighed 35kgs.

Merino ewe hoggets make to $323

Merino ewe hoggets sold from $144 to $323, with a clearance rate of 81pc, down 14pc. The top price was paid for Mudford Farming’s line of scanned in-lamb hoggets weighing 61kgs at Nyngan, NSW. The December shorn ewes were joined to White Suffolk rams and sold to a NSW buyer at Mossvale.

Young Merino ewes sell to $320

Young Merino breeders aged 2-4 years sold from $180 to $320 to average $240, $24 lower. The top price was paid for the Kyeema Grazing Co’s 58 scanned in-lamb ewes weighing 52kgs at Narromine, NSW. The Wealla blood ewes had 5-6.25cm fleeces and were joined to Border Leicester rams.

Prices for proven Merino breeders four years-old and older were back $19 average $234, within the range of $190 to $345. The top price was paid for 600 scanned in-lamb Hazeldean and Blue Bush blood Merino ewes from Scott Groat Pty Ltd at Goolgowi, NSW. The ewes weighed 71kgs and were joined to White Suffolk and Poll Dorset Rams. Another highlight 113 scanned in-lamb Merino ewes weighing 74kgs at Cooma, NSW, that made $113. The Yarrawonga blood ewes had 5-6.25cm fleeces and were joined to Border Leicester and Merino rams.

Merino wether prices lift $4

Merino wethers sold an average $4 dearer to make $155 to $204. TA clearance rate of 89pc – up 27pc – was achieved for the offering of 4957 head, 978 more. The top price was paid for 150 21-22 month-old Bogara blood wethers weighing 60kgs, offered by S.D. & K.M. Price at Crookwell, NSW. They sold to a Victorian buyer at Epsom in Victoria.

Merino wether lambs averaged $154 down $4, within a range of $120 to $197. The clearance rate was 85pc. The top price was paid by a Gippsland buyer at Cranbourne for 410 June-July 2019 drop Wanganella blood lambs weighing 55kgs and with 5-6.25cm fleece B.E. & F.L. Moon at Wyncheproof.

Tasmanian offering increases

Tasmanian sheep producers offered 2060 head, 1257 more, in 10 lots. The state’s three-week streak of 100pc sale clearances was broken this week, dropping to 80pc. A highlight was seeing three lines cross the Bass Strait to Kyneton and Wodonga in Victoria. The top price of $186 was paid for a line of Sept/Oct 2019 drop mixed sex trade lambs weighing 49kgs N.H. Ritchie at Chudleigh.

Store lamb offering more than doubles

The number of store lambs offered online more than doubled last week from 2984 to 6127 head. AuctionsPlus said the larger offering did not faze buyers and all were sold, a 13pc increase in the clearance rate. However, liveweight prices were down 28 cents to average 470c/kg lwt, with lambs making 369-682c/kg. Some of highlights included:

–          Poll Dorset cross, 24kg, $169 or 682c/kg lwt, March/April 2020 drop, Borambola, NSW

–          Poll Dorset cross, 26kg, $171 or 645c/kg, March/April 2020 drop, Cootamundra, NSW

–          White Suffolk cross, 33kg, $181 or 550c/kg, Sept/Oct 2019 drop, Gunning, NSW

–          First cross mixed sex, 36kg, $186 or 513c/kg, July/Sept 2019 drop, Coonamble, NSW

–          White Suffolk cross, 35kg, $174 or 497c/kg, Aug/Sept 2019 drop, Waubra, Victoria

–          White Suffolk cross, 38kg, $190 or 489c/kg, July/Aug 2019 drop, Yeoval, NSW

–          Poll Dorset cross, 40kg, Sept/Oct 2019 drop, $200 or 489c/kg, Mullion Creek, NSW