These SIL Merino ewes, from Mungindi, NSW, made $326.
Quality feed in paddocks has supported ewe condition and preg scanning percentages, leading SIL Merino ewes to take the market by storm last week, with listings making up almost 20% of the weekly offering and prices averaging $47/head higher.
SIL Merino ewes were the bright sport for the joined ewe categories, with the 12,790 head registering a 66% clearance rate and averaging $47 higher on last week, averaging $279/head.
In contrast, SIL first cross ewes, dropped by $11, to average $312/head.
AuctionsPlus lamb offerings saw price lifts across five of the six categories this week, with first cross ewe lambs seeing the largest change, increasing by $58/head.
Merino ewe lambs were the only category to ease, declining a further $10 on last week, to average $175/head.
The second consecutive weekly decline for Merino ewe lambs was underpinned by a disappointing 36% clearance rate – largely influenced by the weekly offering more than doubling on last week, with 3,822 head offered.
The robust demand for shedding breeds continued this week, with shedding lambs jumping a further $40 from last week, to average $301/head.
Despite a 15% contraction in listings, clearance rates for the category dropped back to 70% this week, down from 92% last week.
The top price for the category was achieved by a line of scanned empty Australian White ewe lambs from Kingscote, SA which returned $381/head.
The crossbred and composite/other breed lambs averaged $4 and $9/head higher respectively this week.
The crossbred lamb offering contracted by 55% from last week, with 2,033 head offered – as robust demand pushed clearance rates up to 96%.
Mixed ewes and lambs saw a large jump in demand this week, with 100% clearance registered on the offering of 1,575 head.
Increased demand lifted prices, with an increase of $16 this week to average $321/head. Merino ewes and lambs saw an increased offering of 3,209 head, with the lift in clearances to 80%, helping prices to increase by $7, to average $287/head.
-AuctionsPlus