More new season lambs were being turned off earlier in southern Australia this year, Meat and Livestock Australia’s National Livestock Reporting Service said this week.

Victorian young lamb consignments during August totalled 23,977, a 48 percent increase on the August 2013 turn-off. August 2014 supplies in NSW lifted 31pc to 122,618, compared to last year, MLA said.

“All states registered a sharp decline in old lamb supply, while in South Australia, young and old lamb yardings were fairly evenly split, each at about 15,500 head.”

Eastern states lamb supply, as reported by the NLRS, lifted 15pc week-on-week, to 141,840 head, with more young lambs consigned and the supply of old lambs declining as winter draws to a close.

MLA said new season lamb weights remained consistent in NSW and Victoria compared to last year, between 20-22 kg cwt, but South Australia, the young lambs were estimated at 22-24kg cwt, heavier in comparison to August last year.

Young lamb prices have been relatively similar year-on-year in NSW for trade weight lines, hovering around 470c/kg-480c/kg cwt, however prices in South Australia and Victoria have been slightly lower during August.

“With the flush of young lambs yet to come through, it is unknown how much this will weigh on prices going forward.

“At the conclusion of Thursday’s markets the eastern states restocker lamb indicator was 55 cents higher, at 507c/kg cwt, in the wake of recent rain. Merino lambs eased 16 cents to 385c/kg, while light lambs fell 11 cents to 419c/kg cwt,” NLRS said.

“The Eastern States Trade Lamb Indicator (ESTLI) was 25 cents lower, at 455c/kg, while heavy lambs decreased 23 cents to 457c/kg cwt.

Source: MLA