The Plasto & Co team selling the Haycock lambs at Dubbo on Monday. Image – Macca, DRLM.

STRONG slaughter lamb and mutton prices continued across Australia this week, resulting in saleyard records at some centres, although there were signs of prices easing at some markets.

After 30kg-plus lambs sold for a new centre record of $426 at Bendigo on Monday, Dubbo agents set a new centre record of $386 for extra heavy lambs and the Deniliquin saleyards set a new all-time high of $311 for extra heavy crossbreds at the venue.

At the South Australian Livestock Exchange at Dublin, some extra heavy Merino lambs set a new saleyards record price of $390.

Dubbo sets new centre lamb record of $386

Meat & Livestock Australia’s National Livestock Reporting Service said the usual buyers operated at Dubbo and a major supermarket operator returned.

Heavy weight lambs up to 30kg were up to $28 dearer and extra heavy weights were $10 dearer. The 24-30kg lambs sold from $251-$336 to average 1055c/kg cwt and lambs over 30kg sold to the new centre record of $386, the NLRS said.

Plasto & Company agency auctioneer Ross Plasto sold 156 Poll Dorset cross lambs from the Haycock family of ‘Pinevilla’ at Yeoval to set the new Dubbo Regional Livestock Markets lamb record price at $386.

The NLRS said lightweight lambs sold $25 dearer to processors, with 12-18kg 2 scores making $115-$174. Trade lambs also lifted $25, with the 20-24kg lambs making $185-$260, or 1000-1050c/kg cwt. Merino lambs rose $25, with trade weights making $139-$250 and heavy weight selling to $280, the NLRS said. Lambs to the restockers sold dearer, with crossbreds making $68-$178 and Merinos $70-$170.

Most mutton grades were $12-16 dearer at Dubbo. Aussie White hoggets sold to $265 and woolly Merino hoggets made to $239. Merino ewes made $71-$261 and White Dorper ewes $133-$280. Crossbred ewes sold from $144-$275 and Merino wethers $90-$254. Carcase prices averaged 675-725c/kg cwt.

Standing in the pen of $386 lambs at Dubbo were from left, vendors Chris and Thomas Haycock with auctioneer Ross Plasto. Image – Macca, DRLM.

Corowa’s heavy lambs lift $16-$30

At the Corowa saleyards on Monday, the NLRS said fewer export lambs were available, one major export processor was absent and not all buyers were operating.

The NLRS said despite some export processors not operating fully, prices remained very strong and overall the market was $10-$20 dearer.

Trade lamb prices gained a further $10, with heavy trades making $225-$270. Heavy trade lambs were mostly firm at $270-$305. Although the extra heavy export types attracted a smaller buying group, the lambs were still up to $20 dearer at $310-$370. Heavy Merino lambs sold from $255-$261.

Extra heavy mutton sold firm, with heavy Merino ewes reaching $261 and crossbred ewes making to $255.

Tamworth lambs sell to $400

At the Tamworth saleyards on Monday, the NLRS said lambs reached $400, crossbred ewes sold to $290/head and Dorper wethers made $283/head.

The NLRS said crossbred lambs under 16kgs cwt made $128-$156 and heavier lines $194-$212 to paddock restockers. Trade lambs made $180-$235, and heavy trade Dorpers sold $21 dearer at $180-$238. Heavy crossbred lambs made $242-$280 and 30kg-plus lambs were $22/head dearer at $308-$400. The NLRS said light Dorper and Merino lambs sold to the paddock at $45-$160.

Heavy Merino hoggets made to $270 and crossbreds $220.  The NLRS said heavy crossbred sheep made $240-$290 and medium weights $174-$188. Heavy Dorper ewes sold from $220-$240 and light ewes to $145. Dorper wethers sold at $190-$283.

$311 lamb price record at Deniliquin

At the fortnightly Deniliquin sale on Tuesday, the NLRS said the market recorded its best carcase price rates and heavy crossbred lambs sold to a new centre record of $311.

The lead drafts of crossbred lambs sold from $268-$311, with the best trade weights making $226-$268 and Dorpers selling to $235.  Plainer trades with less weight made $190-$220. The NLRS said most of the better presented processing lambs trended at 1000-1100c/kg cwt, with select pens making to around 1150c/kg.

Light lambs sold for an estimated 800c/kg to just over 1000c/kg depending on quality and number. A run of small and light Merino lambs made $50-$125, with some bigger framed lines making to $150. The main lines of young Dorper lambs sold for $105-$148 to restockers.  There wasn’t a lot of weight in the sheep offering this market, and any heavier mutton received strong export interest at up to

In the mutton market, forward conditioned Merino ewes with no skin sold to $263 and the heaviest meat ewes made $200-$240. Leaner trade sheep sold from $130 to $170/head, with the lightest ewes down to $70. The NLRS said mutton tracked either side of 700c/kg cwt with heavier mutton achieving the best carcase rates.

Ballarat sets centre record of $424

At the Ballarat saleyards on Tuesday, the NLRS said a new centre record of $424 was set for a line of extra heavy Poll Dorset cross lambs.

The NLRS said heavy export lambs 26-30kg made $294-$370 and 30kg-plus lines sold $25 dearer at $340-$424 to average 1100-1160c/kg cwt. The record-priced lambs were sold by TB White and Sons for Bullarook client I. 7 C. Riley. The line of 62 was estimated at 39kg cwt.

The NLRS said store buyers were active with feeders and restocker lambs selling firm to $10 dearer. Light trade sold mostly firm to a few dollars dearer. Neat short-fleeced medium and heavy trade lambs sold $10-$20 dearer, with selected lines selling close to and just over 1300c/kg cwt.

Lambs back to the paddock made $46-$168 and lambs to feed on sold from $165-$208. Light trade lambs under 18kg to suit MK orders sold from $150-$195. Trade lambs 18-22kg sold from $190-$268/head with 22-26kg lines making $230-$325, or from 950-1160c/kg cwt. The NLRS said Merino lambs sold from $96 to $213 to the trade.

The NLRS said mutton sold to over 800c/kg cwt, with lighter Merino wethers making $37-$149 and heavier lines $144-$205. Light weight and frame Merino ewes made $70-$158 and crossbreds sold from $80-$168, to average 630-740c/kg cwt. Heavy Merino ewes made $160-$240 and crossbreds $162-$297, or 740-790c/kg cwt.

Dublin sets centre Merino lamb record of $390

At the South Australian Livestock Exchange at Dublin on Tuesday, the NLRS said 178 March shorn extra heavy Merino lambs set a new saleyards record price of $390, only $4/head behind their crossbred counterparts.

Elders livestock manager and head auctioneer at Dublin Matt Ward said the 179 Poll Merino lambs from Cootes Partners at Spalding were estimate to have a carcase weight of 37-38kg.

The NLRS said ideal trade lambs sold from $210-$240, with heavyweights making $245-$265. The 30kg-plus heavyweights sold from $300-$394. Merino store lambs sold from $75-$170, trade weights $190-$220 and extra heavies $300-$390. Cross bred light lambs sold from $100-$145 and ideal stores ranged from $160-$190.

The NLRS said light sheep sold from $50-$80, trade types $110-$140 and heavyweights $200-$240.

Inverell lambs $10 dearer

At Inverell on Tuesday, the NLRS said most lambs sold $10 head dearer.  The trade lambs sold from $175-$250, heavy weights made $250-$296 and several pens of extra heavy lambs met keen competition to sell from $302 to $351. Dorper lambs sold to $282.  Hoggets topped at $200.

The mutton market held firm, with ewes selling from $112-$198 and wethers $175-$240/head.

Cowra lambs cheaper

At the Cowra saleyards today, the NLRS said medium and heavy trade weight lambs were $3-$10 cheaper, or 995-1040c/kg cwt. Heavy trade sold from $222-$260.

Heavy weight lambs eased $9-$18 to make 1005-1055c/kg cwt. Heavy weight lambs sold from $270-$278 and extra heavy weights made $285-$350.

The NLRS said quality was a little varied with the heavy lambs and heavy trades in good condition, but there were also some plainer lines. All the buyers were operating and competition was still strong but not to the highs of last week with the market easing.

Light lambs to the processors were slightly dearer and sold from $160-$180 and stores made $100-$188.

Mutton quality was very mixed and prices eased. Heavy first cross ewes sold from $174-$188, or 610-620c/kg cwt.

Horsham lambs to $360

At the Horsham saleyards today, the NLRS said medium and heavy trade weight lambs sold from $240-$258 and heavier weights made $331-$360.

A large penning of Merino lambs sold from $185-$208 at around 1000c/kg cwt. The best of the Dorper lambs sold from $240-$310. Feeders and restockers were active and paid $145-$185, and from $43-$111 for lighter weights. They also paid $20-$133 for Merino lambs and $57-$175/head for Dorper lambs. Heavy two tooths sold to $202.

The NLRS said light weight lambs sold from $148-$195. Light trade weight lambs made $184-$246, or 1060c/kg cwt. Medium trade weight lambs sold from $240-$256 to average 1040c/kg cwt. Heavy trade weight lambs made $245-$258. Export weight lambs sold from $295-$317/head, or 1060c/kg cwt. Extra heavy weight lambs sold from $331-$360, or 1060c/kg cwt.

Sheep were dearer by up to $40/head in places. Merino ewes sold to $265 and crossbred ewes made to $305.  Light weight sheep made $108-$149 to average 720c/kg cwt. Medium weight sheep sold from $130 to $202, or 680c/kg cwt. Heavy Merino sheep made $156-$265/head, or 665-790c/kg cwt.

Heavy crossbred ewes sold from $233-$305, or 720c/kg cwt. Heavy rams sold to $120.

Hamilton’s heavy lambs gain up to $20

At the Hamilton saleyards today, the NLRS said heavy export lambs gained up to $20, with the majority of lambs selling fully firm, though without the few extreme prices seen last week.

Trade lambs sold at 1100-1240c/kg cwt and a pen of extra heavy lambs topped the sale at $384, estimated at 33 kg cwt. The NLRS said feeder and restocker competition remained firm, with prices ranging from 1030-1100c/kg cwt supported by local and interstate orders.

The 12-16kg lambs sold from $73-$199 and 18-22kg lines made $190-$278/head. The 22-26kg lambs sold from $250-$297/head. Hoggets reached up to $250.

The NLRS said a higher proportion of Merino was offered in the sheep market. Not all buyers were present or active but the market remained fully firm. Mutton sold at 700-800c/kg cwt. Heavy crossbred ewes sold to $271, Merino wethers to $191 and Merino ewes with skin to $211. Terminal rams sold to $121 and Merino rams with wool to $126/head.

Cowra heavy and trade lambs $3-$10 cheaper

At the Cowra saleyards today, the NLRS said all buyers were operating and competition was still strong, but not to the highs of last week with the market easing.

The NLRS said light lambs to the processors were slightly dearer and sold from $160-$180, with stores making $100-$188. Medium and heavy trade weight lambs were $3-$10 cheaper at 995-1040c/kg cwt. Heavy trade lambs sold from $222-$260.

The NLRS said heavy weight lambs eased $9-$18 to sell at 1005-1055c/kg cwt. They heavies made $270-$278 and the 30kg-plus lambs sold from $285-$350.

Mutton quality was very mixed and prices eased. Heavy first cross ewes sold from $174-$188 or 610-620c/kg cwt.

Yass lambs to $325

This line of 60 crossbred lambs was sold at the South Eastern Livestock Exchange for $325 a head by Butt Livestock on behalf of K. and J. Butt.

At the South Eastern Livestock Exchange at Yass today, the NLRS said the market trend was softer but more quality related even though one regular buyer was not operating.

Trade lambs 20-24kg made $182-$244 at 970c/kg cwt and the 24-26kg lambs, $245-$270, or 1000c/kg. Lambs over 26kg sold to $308 at 980-1030c. A pen of extra heavy weights reached $325.

The NLRS said feeders and restockers were the main drivers of the secondary lambs and lambs with weight sold to the better rates. The feeder lambs to 18kg sold from $119-$189 with most at 900-1000c/kg. The higher prices were paid for heavier lambs with a very short skin. The big runs of Merino hoggets made $54-$132, back $25, and heavy Dorper hoggets sold to $234.

Mutton quality was plain and prices were $20-$30 cheaper, with most stock in 1 and 2 score condition. Medium weight ewes sold from $106-$160 and heavy crossbred ewes reached $220. Big Merino wethers in wool made to $213. Most sold from 580-660c/kg.