The top price pen sells for $320 at Narrandera first cross ewe sale. Photo Kim Woods
Sheep numbers decreased last week; a total of 57,937 were offered, down 20,954 from the previous week’s listing of 78,891 head on AuctionsPlus.
With widespread rain and more forecast over the weekend/into next week buyer confidence remained strong with clearance up at 87%, only 1% lower than last week.
Central Western NSW was the strongest purchasing region for the 3rd time this year securing 9,799 head.
Prices across most categories remained steady with drop offs seen in Merino Ewe lambs and SIL Merino Ewes. Last week First cross ewe lambs jumped $41 and again this week they jumped $28, to average $248.
A further look into the Merino Ewe Lambs saw a big decrease in numbers from 5,000 last week to only 1,325 this week.
The clearance also took a tumble dropping 24% from last week to 69% this week. Prices ranged from $122-$186 and averaged $144, down $43 from last week.
The top price was achieved by 249 Future Breeder Merino ewe lambs out of Warren headed to Cowra only weighing 33.6kg averaging 553.6c/kg. This top price was closely followed by 60 head out of Minalton, SA headed to Port Adelaide, weighing 49.1kg selling for $185/hd.
Merino ewe hoggets sold from $110-$261 to see an average of $202. This was a steady $6 increase on last weeks price.
The highest price of $261 went to 382 hoggets from Manilla NSW, heading to Hensley Park in SW VIC weighing in at 47.1kg averaging 554.1c/kg. In NSW 197 hoggets topped the state going for $230/hd weighing in at 45.7kg averaging 503c/kg.
Young Merino breeders ranged from $160-$291 and took another slight jump up to $223 on average, $5 better off than last week.
The top price of $291 went to 145 SIL Merino ewes 34-35 months of age from Keith, SA; being purchased by a buyer in Bordertown.
These ewes weighed in at 65kg and the lighter end of the girls in another lot sold for $275 weighing 59kg. NSM Merino ewes were topped out of Ararat, VIC; seeing 420, 2-3 year old ewes weighing 54kg being sold for $237 to a buyer in Swan Hill.
Proven Merino breeders sold between $133-$261 to average $178, an increase of $22 from last week. The top lot reached $261 from Keith, SA; heading to Bordertown. Notably these top prices were from the same vendor; WR Hunt and Sons who sold their property.
Merino wether lambs sold from $72-$147, averaging $117 up $10 on the 5 week average. The top price was gained by 360 wethers lambs out of The Rock, NSW; being sold for $147 to Keith, SA. On a c/kg basis 590 full Winyar Merino blood line wether lambs weighing in at 26kg averaged 504c/kg from Bungendore, NSW.
Prices for full grown Merino wethers ranged from $92-$168 with an average of $136, up $9 from last weeks average and up $13 on the 5 week rolling average. Top price of $168 was gained by 284 Woolgrower wethers bred from the Bogo blood line out of Bookham, NSW. They weighed in at 56kg and were bought down in Willowmavin, VIC.
First cross ewe lambs heightened again this week to range between $170-$320, and average $248.
For the second week in a row there was a significant jump in price however this week it was mainly attributed to a First cross sale out of Narrandera which saw Pooginook and Kegra Super bloodlines combine in a lot of 146 Ewe lambs to sell for $320. Outside of the Narrandera sale there was a lot of 125 First cross ewe lambs out of Seymor, VIC; that sold for $261 a head or more impressively 600c/kg liveweight.
Again there was only a small offering of first cross ewes this week with 4 lots on offer all SIL. The price ranged from $241-$301 to average $265 up $45 on last week and up $17 on the 5 week average.
This possibly was attributed to the lack of first cross ewes on offer and also all being SIL. The top price was gained by 250 1st X ewes out of Cowra, NSW. They weighed in at 78kg and were headed to Goulbourn.
Highlight of the week came from the vendor WR Hunt and Sons in Keith, SA. Selling the farm and having 8 lots online with 6 of the lots going at least $40 over the reserve and one lot going $96 over the reserve.