Merino lambs command half of what they made last year

Big numbers of Riverina lambs hit the market this morning, where prices only made about half of what vendors received last year.

Buyers were in the box seat to secure some of Australia’s best Merino genetics at the cheapest rates in years when 13,000 went under the hammer on Friday morning.

Western Riverina producers sold store wether lambs on AuctionsPlus for as little as $43, in a dire portrayal of the current sheep and lamb market.

Several lots were passed in despite having extremely modest starting bids.

Elders Hay branch manager Andrew Low said the prices were a reflection of where the market was at.

“We are dealing in a market where there isn’t a lot of restocker confidence,” he said.

“These prices are at half of last year’s pricing,” he said.

On the flip side, he said now was the time for people wanting to rebuild numbers and secure quality genetics to buy into the industry.

“We are hearing a lot of doom and gloom, and nobody is seeing the opportunity,” he said.

Buyers from Bendigo, Wycheproof and Yarrawonga were among the restockers who secured some bargains on AuctionsPlus.

First cross Border Leicester, Merino wether lambs weighing 41kg made $86.

Merino wether lambs, weighing 33kg made $43.

EARLIER THIS WEEK

The Riverina will start to sell off its Merino lambs this week as producers opt for early money.

With predictions of El Nino firming and fears of a repeat of grass seed issues, more than 10,000 lambs as light as 20 liveweight will be sold this week in two online sales.

Another 15,000 will be offered in another sale in Hay on September 15, with the yarding also interfaced with AuctionsPlus.

Elders Hay branch manager Andrew Low said the season was good around Hay but there were other factors that were driving this week’s sales.

“We are offering lambs a couple of weeks earlier than we normally would,” Mr Low said.

Lightening numbers before feed conditions tighten was a key driver.

“If dry conditions come in, producers wanted to use the feed they have to get their ewes in lamb and so selling off Merino wether lambs now will free up space,” he said.

Grass seeds also came into play, and while barley grass was not in head yet, Mr Low said producers want to be able to market their lambs so buyers could have confidence there was no chance of seed.

But one of the greatest factors was the fear that a surge in spring lamb supplies from prime lamb breeders would coincide with the annual sell-off of Merino wether lambs.

Some Riverina producers are opting to sell wether lambs early.

“These wether lambs might be a bit younger but they are fresh and are doing well,” Mr Low said.

“They are really starting to grow and will look better coming off the trucks than they did when they were assessed for AuctionsPlus.

“In a month’s time, if it gets hot and windy, there could be a lot of lambs on the market, so this is a calculated decision to sell now.”

Last year, the tops of the Riverina Merino wether lambs made about $120-$130, Mr Lowe said, but acknowledged the market had “changed dramatically”.

“What will happen with the price is a real unknown, especially with the lighter lambs, but we will look at it in cents/kilogram terms,” Mr Low said.

About 8500 Merino wether lambs will be offered on AuctionsPlus this Friday from some of the area’s best-known producers including, Yamba at Booligal, NSW, Budgewah at Hay, NSW, and Corynnia at Carrathool, NSW.

Another major Carrathool-district property, Wyvern, owned by TA Field Estates, will offer more than 3000 2023-drop Merino wethers at the Tuesday AuctionsPlus sale tomorrow.