SHEEP and lamb numbers dropped on last week's numbers to 55,309 head offered, which is still a solid week ending what has almost been a record month for AuctionsPlus in terms of sheep listings.
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Sheep clearance rates also remained high above 80 per cent for the week.
Cattle numbers were down by 3359 head to 4322 head offered as a result of some heavy rain along the east coast making farmers reassess their selling options.
The cattle market reached its highest level since December 2013 as a result of reduced numbers and rainfall over the past week and this was seen on AuctionsPlus, where clearance rates were above 75pc.
Scanned first-cross ewes made between $130 and $180 last week, with the top price being 18-month-old St Helena-blood ewes averaging 55 kilograms out of Wagga Wagga.
There were a few mixed age lines of Merino ewes offered on AuctionsPlus last week, while scanned and joined ewe prices dropped. Young unjoined ewes sold for between $28 and $119.
A line of 18-month-old Langdene-blood hoggets out of Gulgong, averaging 54kg with a December skin made $119.
Scanned Merino ewes prices were generally lower last week with the top price being $125.50 for Southrose-blood ewes out of South Australia in lamb to White Suffolk.
There have been reports of a 17 cent a kilogram increase in mutton prices for the week to 323c/kg.
This was met with strong demand from the processors on AuctionsPlus and as a result prices were significantly higher.
Processors secured several lines of mutton and as a result prices ranged from 322c/kg to 381c/kg.
James Anthony is in the market operations department at AuctionsPlus.
