These mixed sex store lambs from Cootamundra, NSW, sold for $159.
Merino wether and wether lamb supply on AuctionsPlus fell last week to total 7,241 head, translating to fiercer competition from buyers looking to take advantage of the strong wool market, to see complete clearance across the category.
NSW and QLD led the market, while prices further south eased week on week. Wether lambs averaged $112, up $18 on last week with a low of $61.50 and a high of $126.
The top price, which came out of the Thursday Sheep Sale, was paid for a large line of 766 Hazeldean blood store wether lambs, aged 7 to 8 months and weighing 43kgs with a 1” skin, offered by ‘Romani Pastoral Co’ Cootamundra, NSW.
Grown wethers sold from $50 to $141 to find an average of $99, back $6 on last week. This top price was achieved by a line of 840 woolgrowers offered by ‘MJ & KJ Davies’ Coonabarabran, NSW. The line, which was sold over two lot of 420, are aged 17 to 19 months and averaged 48kgs with a 2.5” skin.
Merino ewe lamb supply remained low for the second consecutive week as vendors look to hold on to their young breeding stock.
Unjoined Merino ewe prices eased, selling from $41 to $155 to average $108, back $22 on last week, with buyers showing preference for ewes with larger skin rebates on their back.
The top price of which was paid for a line of 204 scanned empty ewes, aged 1 to 2 years and weighing 52kgs with a 2.5” skin.
The line, offered by ‘L & C Nalder’ of Coonamble NSW, came out of the Thursday Sheep Sale. Joined Merino ewes averaged $170, up $16 on last week, selling from $131 to a high of $236. This top price was achieved by a line of 244 ewes offered by ‘Stratherne South Enterprises’ Rennie, NSW.
The ewes are aged 22 to 23 months, averged 57kgs with a 2.5” skin and have been joined to Southdown and Southdown/Dorset rams.
First cross ewe numbers lifted this week to total 5,465 head, with listings coming out of NSW and VIC.
Demand for first cross ewe lambs eased slightly, finding a 54% clearance, however prices remained steady, selling from $140 to $250 to average find an average of $172.
This top price was achieved by ‘JBM AG’ of Wellington, NSW for their line of 205 lambs, aged 11 to 12 months and weighing 56kgs.
The vendor also has a further 500 lambs of the same description available in next Tuesday’s sale. Demand for joined first cross ewes was stronger, achieving an 86% clearance, finding an average of $213, up $25 on last week.
Prices ranged from $149 to $287, for a line of 150 ewes, aged 18 to 24 months and weighing 57kgs. The line, offered by ‘MM Ryan’ of Cowra, NSW have been SIL to Poll Dorset rams.