STRONG demand for Merino and crossbred lambs drove prices to a high of $183 in Primaries online feeder and store lamb sale last week on AuctionsPlus.
In the sale the Primaries team offered and sold 7794 lambs over 20 lots for a gross of $1.205 million and an average of $154.65.
The sale attracted 53 registered bidders from WA, New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria and South Australia of which 13 were active throughout the sale, placing 359 online bids.
In the breakdown 5036 Merino wether lambs sold for an average of $148, while 552 mixed sex Merino/Dohne lambs averaged $172 and 2206 mixed sex crossbred lambs averaged $166.
The tone for the sale was set early when lot one sold for the sale's $183 top price. Achieving the top price was a line of 298 Merino and second cross Dohne-Merino mixed sex lambs offered by Weslind Waters, Ucarty.
The May/June drop lambs were February shorn and had an average liveweight of 48.8kg when assessed on March 5.
A line of 254 mixed sex, October shorn, Ejanding blood Merino lambs from Southern Waters, Dowerin, sold at $158.
The second highest price in the sale was achieved in the Merino wether lamb lines when 208 October shorn, Cardiff blood wethers, averaging 45.3kg sold for $180.
The June/July drop line was offered in the sale by Morcombe Holdings, Badgingarra.
Another strong price in the Merino wether lamb run was $171 paid for 274 January shorn, Woolkabin blood wether lambs averaging 48.2kg from AW & RE Bowring, Bulyee and Aldersyde.
The Bowrings also sold 334 February shorn, Woolkabin blood wether lambs averaging 39.9kg at $147.
Cadda Downs, Badgingarra, sold a large line of 719 October shorn, Challara blood wether lambs averaging 38.6kg for $154 and 611 December shorn, Thornton Park blood averaging 35.9kg for $141.
Southern Waters received $153 for a draft of 395 October shorn, averaging 41.4kg, while Lara Downs, Badgingarra, sold 275 Collinsville and Nepowie blood, September shorn wether lambs averaging 39.1kg at $147.
Two lines of wether lambs from Badgingarra sold at more than $130 with GE & HL Lethlean receiving $139 for their draft of 196 Challara and Cardiff blood, November shorn wethers averaging 37.6kg while Morcombe Holdings received $135 for its 145 Cardiff and Challara blood, October shorn wether which averaged 35.2kg.
A line of 305 October shorn, San-Mateo blood wether lambs averaging 29.6kg returned $105 for DM & LJ Morrison.
Dandaragan operation G & Y Roberts sold two lines of Cranmore blood wether lambs, both containing 787 head at $151 and $148.
Both lines were October shorn and had an average weight of 35.1kg.
In the mixed sex crossbred lamb offering, the top price was $178 paid for a large line of 750 White Suffolk-Merino cross lambs offered by G & Y Roberts.
The line of July/August drop lambs were October shorn and had an average weight of 40.4kg.
The Roberts also sold a line of 275 White Suffolk-Merino cross lambs averaging 45.8kg for $176 and a further 326 White Suffolk-Merino cross lambs averaging 36.4kg at $156.
Also making good money was a draft of 392 Poll Dorset-Merino cross mixed sex lambs from Southern Waters when it sold at $158.
The December shorn, June/July drop lambs had an average weight of 40kg.
Two other lines of crossbred mixed sex lambs made more than $150.
DS Morgan & Co, Quindanning, sold 307 White Suffolk-Merino cross, November shorn lambs averaging 38.5kg at $151 and DM & LJ Morrison, Brookton, received $156 for 156 White Suffolk-Merino cross, October shorn lambs averaging 36.5kg.