Scanned Merino ewes draw strong buying activity

Merino-ewes-Underbool

The top priced line of Kelvale and Kerri-Kerri blood hoggets from Underbool, VIC.

There appears to be some growers looking to spring with a positive outlook, as scanned-in-lamb Merino ewes and ewe hoggets drew strong buyer activity with 79% of the 6,000 sheep offered sold at auction.

SIL Merino hoggets and grown ewes sold from $86 to $231, with an average of $181 on AuctionsPlus.

The top priced line was a mob 20 to 22 month old Kelvale and Kerri-Kerri blood hoggets from Underbool, VIC; SIL to Poll Dorset rams.

Unjoined and scanned empty Merino ewe lambs and hoggets this week sold from $110 to $150, with an average of $133. While grown unjoined and scanned empty Merino ewes sold from $66 to $153, with an $109 average.

Merino wether lambs also drew strong buyer activity with an 84% clearance, selling from $44 to $149, with an average of $99.

Top priced lines this week offered buyers options to either fatten or keep as fine wool growers. 39kg lambs, with a 2.5’’ skin from Beechworth VIC, sold for $149; 36kg lambs from Wallendbeen, NSW sold for $129; and 45kg lambs from Violet Town, VIC sold for $123.

Smaller numbers of First Cross Border Leicester/Merino saw ewe lambs average $159, with a range of $102 to $195. The top priced mob was a line of July 18’ to August 18’ drop future breeders from Gulgong, NSW.

While SIL First Cross ewes sold from $200 to a top of $321 for 3 year old, 85kg ewes from Dookie, VIC, which were SIL to Poll Dorset rams.

Store Lamb numbers continued to dwindle this week to see 9,697 head offered. Top prices included:

• Aug/Sep-18 drop, Mixed Sex Lambs from FINGAL, TAS, 338c/$171

• AugSep-18 drop, Mixed Sex Lambs from BETHUNGRA, NSW, 366c/$153

• Aug/Sep-18 drop, Mixed Sex Store Lambs from BENALLA, VIC, 373c/$152

• May/Jun-18 drop, Mixed Sex Lambs from DENILIQUIN, NSW, 372c/$152

• Jun/Jul-18 drop, Mixed Sex Lambs from BINDA, NSW, 383c/$151.5

• Jul/Sep-18 drop, Mixed Sex Trade Lambs from THALLON, QLD, 342c/$151

• Jul/Aug-18 drop, Mixed Sex Lambs from BETHUNGRA, NSW, 366c/$149

• Aug/Sep-18 drop, Mixed Sex Lambs from ARARAT, VIC, 350c/$147

• Aug/Sep-18 drop, Trade Wether Lambs from THALLON, QLD, 336c/$136