New season lambs dominate January market as listings up by 28 per cent

AuctionsPlus sheep and lamb listings continue to roar back to life in 2023, with today’s offering of 145,283 head the largest ever January listing.

Up 28% on the corresponding week in 2022, this week’s sales are dominated by new season lambs, as producers continue to turn off lambs following some long-awaited summer conditions after the raft of disruptions in the final months of 2022.

A large offering of lambs from Southwest Victoria has the total for the region at 35,346 head – accounting for 24% of listings.

This is followed by the NSW Central West (19,612 head) and Northern Tablelands NSW (13,251 head).

The National Lamb Sale will be split across two sales this week, offering a total of 98,924 head across 267 lots. Commencing 1pm AEDT will be the National Lamb Sale 1 – QLD & NSW, followed by the National Lamb Sale 2 – VIC & SA commencing at 1:30pm AEDT.

Mixed sex lambs continue to dominate listings, with 58,788 head on offer tomorrow, accounting for 59% of total lamb listings. Wether lambs account for 28% of the offering with 27,863 head, while ewe lambs total 11,457 head.

The National Sheep Sale will offer a total of 46,359 head across 207 lots, commencing at 2pm AEDT. Unjoined ewes continue to dominate the sheep offering, with the 23,307 non-station mated ewes on offer accounting for 50% of the sheep sale.

Station mated ewes totalled 7,245 head this week, while a jump in the wether hogget offering sees 2,045 head offered across the sale.

-AuctionsPlus