Scanned in lamb composite ewes one of few categories up in price

SIL-composite-ewes

These SIL Ultra White/Dorper ewes from Bingara, NSW, sold for $300.

SIL Composite/other breed ewes had a total offering of 3,775 head last week, which reached a 91% clearance and prices rose $18 to take back the previous weeks contraction, averaging $288/head.

Crossbred lambs had the largest offering across the categories, with 11,621 head. Prices eased $2 to average $160/head, with clearance rates for the category remaining robust at 72%.

A highlight for the category included a line of 700 mixed sex White Suffolk/Poll Merino lambs weighing 41kg lwt from Bornholm, WA – which returned $143/head and will travel interstate to Loxton, SA.

Merino wether lambs also eased back $2 to average $120/head, as clearance rates reached 72% across the 4,845 head offered. Merino ewe lambs were the only lamb category to average higher than last week, with the category rising $37 to average $194/head. While the category had a thin offering consisting of 1,962 head, clearance rates reached 89%.

The national sheep sale had a total of 19,317 head listed across 72 catalogued lots this week, which consisted mainly of joined ewes. Upon closure of the sale clearance rates reached a healthy 73%, while mixed price averages and reduced numbers across all categories resulted in no clear trends across the sheep market.

Merino wethers eased considerably on last week – back $40 to average $111/head. The offering of 2,140 head was met with steady demand, as quality offerings prevailed in the purchases, with clearance rates reaching 57%.

Unjoined ewe numbers were sparse, with Merino ewes, hoggets and first cross ewe categories all recording less than 1,000 head listed. Unjoined shedding breed ewes had the largest offering with 1,166 head offered. Prices rose $32 to average $269/head, with clearance rates reaching 71%.

SIL Merino ewes held firm on last week with a total of 5,102 head listed, with the category recording a 56% clearance. Prices rose by $8 to average $229/head.

Following a $51 contraction, SIL first cross ewes took back their losses last week, rising $65 to average $307/head. The offering increased by over 2,000 head, to total 4,547 head, which was well received from a buying end as clearance rates rose by 40% to reach 73%.

Unjoined ewe numbers were sparse, with Merino ewes, hoggets and first cross ewe categories all recording less than 1,000 head listed. Unjoined shedding breed ewes had the largest offering for the week with 1,166 head offered. Prices rose $32 to average $269/head, with clearance rates reaching 71%.

-AuctionsPlus