Markets

New season and old lamb prices improve as saleyard offerings drop after rain

Sheep Central, July 17, 2015
Austin and Harry Brown from Boika, with their parents Ian and Belinda Brown's Merino lambs that sold for $136 at Ouyen.

Austin and Harry Brown from Boika, with their parents Ian and Belinda Brown’s Merino lambs that sold for $136 at Ouyen on Thursday.

NEW season and old lamb prices improved in New South Wales and Victoria mid-week as yardings reduced in all eastern states saleyards.

At Carcoar on Wednesday, light lamb prices were up $4-$6 dearer, the centre’s trade lambs lifted $8-$10 and buyers paid $5-$9 more for the heavy weights.

At Cootamundra, 12.1-18kg cwt new season crossbred lambs with $8 skins made $102 or 588c/kg cwt, and the 22.1-24kg lambs sold for $150.60, or 611c/kg.

At Wagga on Thursday, new season lambs gained $2-$7, with 12-16kg lines with $6 skins making $106-$106.60, or 625-629c/kg, and 16-18kg lambs with $6-$8 skins made $113-$115, or 629c/kg.

Wagga’s 18-22kg suckers with $8 skins made $129-$146 or 601-685c/kg and the 22-26kg lambs with $8-$10 skins sold from $150-$160.20, or 578-613c/kg.

The National Livestock Reporting Service said prices for light trade weight lambs also improved at Hamilton in Victoria, particularly for the better finished 3 scores, which were $5-$9 dearer. Medium trade weight lambs sold firm to $2 dearer.

NLRS slaughter lamb indicators improve

After Thursday’s saleyards sales, the NLRS’s Eastern States Daily Indicators for trade lambs as up 9 cents to 593c/kg and the heavy lamb indice as up 11 cents to 593c/kg. The national trade lamb indicator was up 10 cents to 594c/kg and the heavy indice improved 11 cents to 594c/kg.

The other ESDIs for lamb are: restocker 520c/kg, up 11 cents; Merino 538c/kg, down 12c; light 549c/kg, no change.

The ESDI for mutton improved 4 cents to 393c/kg and the national indicator is up 4 cents to 392c/kg.

Carcoar’s trade lambs $8-$10 dearer

In New South Wales at the Central Tablelands Livestock Exchange at Carcoar on Wednesday, the agents yarded 6300 lambs, 1600 fewer than last week, and 2200 sheep, 800 less.

The NLRS said it was a fair quality yarding, with some good runs of heavy weight lambs, along with a reasonable selection of trade weights. There were also a fair percentage of light weight lambs.

Light weight lambs were $4-$6 dearer, with the 12-18kg cwt 2 scores selling from $54-$103. Trade weight lambs regained the previous week’s fall, selling $8-$10 dearer. The 18-22kg 3 scores sold from $100-$146, to average 589c/kg cwt. Heavy weight lambs were $5-$9 dearer, with the over 22kg 4 scores selling from $130-$180 to average 583c/kg. Trade weight Merinos sold to $100.

It was a good quality yarding of sheep. Most grades were $4-$7 dearer, with 2 score ewes selling from $55-$72. The better 3 and 4 score Merinos sold from $80-$124 and the crossbreds made to $118. Well-finished Merino wethers sold from $103-$128.

Cootamundra’s new season lambs sell to $150

At the Cootamundra saleyards on Wednesday, the agents 5600 lambs, 190 fewer than last week, and 4700 sheep, 420 more.

The NLRS said lamb quality was good in the better finished lines, but there were some plainer lines. Mainly trade weight lambs were penned, with a limited number of heavy grades. The Merino lambs were in good condition. All the regular buyers operated in a firm to dearer market.

Light lambs averaged $105 to processors. The few pens of new season lambs made to $150. Medium and heavy trade weight old lambs were firm and averaged 580-600c/kg cwt. Most of the better trade weights sold from $125-$133. Heavy weight lambs were firm to slightly dearer and averaged from 580-590c/kg. A few pens of heavy weights sold from $160-$179. Heavy Merino lambs sold $7 dearer and averaged $138.

Mutton quality was quite good across all grades. Medium Merino ewes sold $8 dearer and averaged $80-$94, or 359-396c/kg cwt. Heavy Merino ewes sold to strong demand and averaged $122, or 436c/kg. Heavy first cross ewes averaged $124, or 386c/kg.

Wagga’s new season lambs lift $2-$7

At the Wagga saleyards on Thursday, the agent yarded 24,050 lambs, 8150 fewer than last week, and 5450 sheep, 5650 less.

The NLRS said lamb quality dropped off quickly. About 2500 new season lambs were offered along with a tidy run of trade weights and a good number of supplementary-fed heavy weights. Merino lambs were well-supplied, but most were lighter weights. Not all the usual buyers operated in a dearer market.

New season lambs gained $2-$7. Better finished lambs, 18-24kg, sold from $129-$155 and heavier weights made to $160. Old trade lambs were mostly sold $5-$9 dearer. Medium and heavy trade lambs ranged from $105-$148 to average 600-620c/kg cwt. Heavy lambs ranged from $134-$167 and extra heavy weights sold to $194. Most ranged from 590-615c/kg. Merino trades sold from $102-$129.

Mutton quality was good, with large drafts of heavy mutton. Most of the sheep were Merinos. Prices lifted $7-$12 for the big lines of young wethers. The ewes averaged firm. Medium weight ewes sold from $78-$104. Heavy crossbreds sold to $148. Heavy Merino wethers made from $120-$143. Most mutton averaged 400-430c/kg cwt, but the younger descriptions sold at a higher average.

Hamilton’s best trade lambs lift $5-$9

In Victoria at the Hamilton saleyards on Wednesday, the agents yarded 2222 lambs, 2765 fewer than last week, and 1496 sheep, 2068 less.

The NLRS said lamb quality was average with offering having less weight and condition. The usual buyers for this time of year were present, although two major domestic buyers didn’t attend, nor did a heavy sheep processor. There was only limited local restocker activity on light lambs.

Prices overall were slightly dearer, up $1-$4 for light weight lambs. The better finished light trade weight lambs sold $5-$9 dearer. Medium trade weight lambs sold firm to $2 dearer and the heavy trade 3 and 4 score lambs were unchanged. Light weight 1 and 2 scores made $40-$69 and the light trade lambs 2 and 3 score sold from $92-$115. The medium trade weight 3 and 4 scores sold from $115-$134 to average 605c/kg cwt and the heavy trade 4 scores made $145-$150, or 600-620c/kg.

The better yarding of sheep had some good drafts of Merino wethers and crossbred ewes. Sheep prices were firm to mostly $3-$5 dearer, with some pens of light to medium weight Merino ewes up to $10 dearer. The light 1 and 2 score mutton sold from $45-$76 and the medium to heavy 3 and 4 score sheep made $82-$115, or mostly 350-390c/kg cwt. The better Merino 3 scores wethers sold from $81-$97 or 390-410c/kg. Rams made $45-$79.

Best Horsham lambs sell firm

At the Horsham saleyards on Wednesday, the agents yarded 3021 lambs, 765 fewer than last week, and 2037 sheep, 845 less.

The NLRS said lamb quality was average, with reasonable numbers of better presented trade weight and heavy lambs. Most of the regular buyers attended, with better presented lambs selling around last week’s levels and the plainer, lighter types a little easier.

Restocking activity was limited, with suitable crossbred lambs making $52-$85, Merinos from $53-$79. Light weight 1 and 2 score lambs sold from $77-$95. Light trade 2 and 3 score lambs made $94-$124.50, and averaged around 580c/kg cwt. Trade weight 3 and 4 score lambs sold from $128-$154, or 550-620c/kg, to average around 600c/kg. Heavy 3 and 4 score lambs made $156-$180. Merino lambs sold from $96-$114.

All weights and grades of sheep were yarded. Some quality runs of heavy Merino ewes sold dearer than last week. Most other sheep sold around last week’s levels. Light weight 1 and 2 score sheep made $49-$94. Medium weight 2 and 3 score sheep sold from $80-$110, or 340-440c/kg cwt, with Merinos averaging around 410c/kg and crossbreds 360c/kg. Heavy 3 to 5 score sheep sold from $90-$115, with heavy Merino wethers making $97-$115 and the medium weights $90-$105. Rams of all weights sold from $48-$95.

Ouyen lambs and sheep firm to $5 cheaper

Torrita lamb producer Dennis Stone sold his crossbred lambs for $155 at Ouyen on Thursday.

Torrita lamb producer Dennis Stone sold his crossbred lambs for $155 at Ouyen on Thursday.

At the Ouyen Livestock Exchange on Thursday, the agents yarded 7526 lambs and 5144 sheep.

All weights and grades of lambs and sheep were firm to $5 cheaper than the last sale two weeks ago.

Export weight crossbred lambs sold from $156-$201, or 560-580c/kg cwt and the trade weights made $116-$176, or 570-620c/kg. The store and light lambs ranged from $64-$123, or 580-620c/kg. Light Merino lambs sold from $77-$114, or 550-560c/kg, and the heavy weights made $118-$136, or 530-560c/kg.

The light sheep sold from $33-$90, or 380-420c/kg, and the heavier lines made $94-$130, or 380-400c/kg.

Katanning lamb prices ease

In Western Australia at the Katanning saleyards on Wednesday, the agents yarded 6360 lambs, 1387 more than last week, and 3009 sheep, 991 fewer.

The NLRS said it was a very mixed quality yarding. Lamb prices eased from last week. All the usual buyers attended. Light weight new season lambs sold from $40-$90. Light store lambs made $30-$41. Lambs to air freight sold from $60-$96, to average $84. Crossbred lambs weighing 18-22kg cwt made from $85-$105 to average $98. Merino lambs 18-22kg sold from $70-$85, to average $76/head. Merino lambs sold to restockers for $20-$77, to average $55.

Some good lines of mutton kept sheep prices firm. Young Merino wethers sold to restockers and feeders for $48-$86, depending on quality. Light ewes and the 2 score processor mutton made from $35-$75, while the better 3 score mutton sold from $60-$91, to average $80. Restockers paid up to $80 for young ewes.

Wether prices were firm with suitable live export lines making from $85-$107. Restockers and feeder buyers paid $55-$106. Rams sold for $10-$45 to processors and from $60-$80 for younger lines suitable for live export.

Warwick lambs dearer – to $157

In Queensland at the Warwick saleyards on Wednesday, the agents yarded a bigger offering 1499 lambs and hoggets, and 586 sheep.

The lamb market was quoted dearer for all descriptions, while mutton prices remained firm on the previous week’s rates.

The top-priced lines of lamb made $157 for the Nara Downs Trust of ‘Nara Downs’, Goombungee.

Crossbred lambs 46-55kg lwt sold from $134-$157, the 42-45kg lines made $120-$132, the 36-42kg lambs ranged from $108-$122 and the 35-40kg lambs made $100-$112.

Shorn crossbred hoggets, 60kg lwt, sold to $108. Trade wethers with a $20 skin sold to $128 or 420c/kg cwt. Light wethers ($11 skins) sold to $ 81 or 320c/kg cwt.  Heavy crossbred ewes ($30 skin) made to $150 or 415c/kg cwt and light ewes ($4 skin) sold to $76 or 300c/kg.

Source: MLA, NLRS.

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