These July-August 2023 drop Merino wether lambs weighing 37.5kg lwt at West Waylong in NSW sold for $93 on AuctionsPlus last week.

MOST lamb category prices improved on AuctionsPlus last week after rain across many areas of eastern Australia.

AuctionsPlus said lamb prices lifted by an average of $26/head to $128 with a 91pc clearance rate.

Commercial sheep and lamb listings on the online marketplace jumped 23 percent to 65,636 head and Value Over Reserve lifted a further $7 to $12.

The overall clearance rate was also in the green, up nine percent.

The crossbred lamb indicator increased 25pc from the previous week to $128/head and the AuctionsPlus restocker indicator rose 58c/kg to 535c/kg.

The Merino Ewe Lamb offering lifted 23% to almost 6000 head. The Composites/Other Breed lambs had a standout 247% offering increase.

SM First X Ewes and SIL Shedding Breed Ewes had listing growth of about 2000% and 4500% respectively, albeit off low numbers the previous week. The shedders dropped $114/head in response to the bigger offering.

The unjoined ewe category offerings decreased this week and enjoyed some price increases, with clearance rates from 29% to 84%.

Queensland producers listed less this week, but all other participating states lifted their numbers. Queensland producers also purchased less than the previous week, while the other states took home more – including NSW bidders who took home nearly 10,000 more head than the previous week.

Processors were winning bidders on more than 2% of the action, a massive jump from the half a percent from the previous week.

Crossbred Lambs registered a 22% larger offering with 5687 head, with prices up by $26 on last week to average $128/head for a 91% clearance rate.

At Barmedman in NSW, mixed sex August-October 2023 drop Poll Dorset cross lambs weighing 40kg lwt sold for $147/head, or 372c/kg, to a buyer in Borenore, NSW.

Merino Wether Lambs registered a 61% increased offering to 10,616 head, with prices up $11/head for a 74% clearance. From West Wyalong, a line of 500 Merino wether lambs, Jul/Aug ’23 drop, and weighing 38kg, lwt returned $94/head, or 251c/kg and will travel to a buyer in Tamworth, NSW.

SIL Merino Ewes registered a 50% larger offering with 14,539 head, with prices falling by $39 on last week to average $81/head for a 56% clearance.

Note: Prices as at 5pm Thursday, 9th May 2024.

Source – AuctionsPlus.