AUCTIONSPLUS is looking to repeat the success of the special lamb sale initiative after reporting a 92 per cent clearance of the 18,477 lambs offered at the inaugural Farmgate Store Lamb sale.
The special sale - the first in what is likely to be a more regular marketing strategy for various livestock categories by the online selling system - attracted 131 registered bidders and 58 active bidders.
Just over 14,000 lambs were sold during auction, with another 4038 sold in the 24-hour period following, where vendors of passed in lots can negotiate a price privately with the highest bidder.
Buyers were predominantly backgrounders and restockers and were spread across a geographical triangle between Lake Cargilligo, NSW, Hamilton and Kimba, South Australia.
Top prices for the sale included two 440-head consignments of 40 kilogram second-cross Crookwell lambs fetching $100.50, and $100; and 48kg Poll Dorset-Merino lambs for $100.
Three lots of 320 lightweight lambs from made the best value, paying an average of 264 cents per kilogram to their Finley, NSW, producers.
The strong pre-sale inquiry and big response from bidders and vendors has prompted AuctionsPlus to tentatively plan a follow-up pre-Christmas Lamb Sale at noon (AEDT) on December 9.
AuctionsPlus analysts said crossbred lambs approaching trade weights, but with plenty of time to grow out to heavy export lambs, were well represented yesterday and keenly sought after by purchasers.
Lambs weighing 30kg to 33kg sold from $63-$67 each, 34kg-35kg lambs sold from $76-$86; 36kg-37kg drafts made $76.50-$90, and 38kg-39kg lines sold from $80-$91.
Merino wether lambs were primarily autumn-drop shorn lambs, selling from $47-$80 each at average live weights from 34kg-47kg.
Younger woolly lambs from South Australia made $29-$39 each.
