PRICES for quality trade and heavy lambs were firm to slightly dearer in eastern states saleyards late last week.

New season lamb prices continue to improve as yardings and weights continued to improve in NSW saleyards.

At Cowra on Friday, the 12.1-18kg cwt new season lambs with $5-$8 skins sold from $88-$118, or 593-629c/kg, and the trade weights with $8-$11 skins made $126-$148, or 577-635c/kg. Heavier 22.1-26kg lines with $10-412 skins sold from $145-$166, or 579-622c/kg.

At Griffith on Friday, the 16.1-18kg suckers with $1-$8 skins made $72-$111, or 553-692c/kg, and some 16.1-18kg Dorpers with $1 skins sold for $155 or 633c/kg. The trade weight suckers with $8-$11 skins ranged from $124-$159, or 611-677c/kg. The 22.1-24kg drafts with $10 skins ranged from $159-$169, or 638-663c/kg.

At Shepparton, some 16.1-18kg new season lambs with $8 skins made $90, or 456c/kg, and the 18.1-24kg lines with $6-$10 skins sold from $108-$138, or 537-557c/kg.

NLRS lamb indicators hold firm or rise

The National Livestock Reporting Service quoted its Eastern States Daily Indicators for all lamb categories as firm or higher after Friday’s saleyard sales, with most recording big increases over the week.

The lamb ESDIs, their daily and weekly changes are: restocker 538c/kg, up 8 cents daily, up 38 cents weekly; Merinos 534c/kg, up 1c, up 7c; light 513c/kg, up 2c, down 19c; trade 593c/kg, up 2c, up 15c; heavy 600c/kg, no change, up 20c. The national trade lamb indicator lifted one cent to 591c/kg and the heavy indice held firm on 600c/kg.

The ESDI for mutton lost two cents to close at 374c/kg, down 10 cents for the week, while the national indice finished on 370c/kg, down two cents.

AuctionsPlus sells first cross ewe lambs for $195

AuctionsPlus market operations officer Anna Adams said sheep numbers were back 8000 to 24,589 last week, though she expected numbers to increase significantly in the next few weeks as more store lambs started hitting the market.

“First cross ewes were the stand-out article this week with lambs selling from $100.50 to a top of $195 for well-grown lambs with a full jacket out of Temora, NSW.

“Mixed age ewes scanned to the Poll Dorset sold for $150, and ewes with White Suffolk lambs sold for $230.50 out of Dubbo.”

Ms Adams said aged scanned Merino ewes sold from $118-$126.50, and younger ewes sold to a top of $131.50 for four year olds scanned to Border Leicester rams at Dubbo. Unjoined two year olds made $130.

Merino wether lambs were well-supported, selling from $55-$95 and averaging $72.

“The top price was paid for a line of Tara Park blood grown lambs weighing 44kg and just a month off shears.

“Two year old wethers weighing 59kg, older brothers of the top priced lambs, sold for $100,” she said. A single mutton sale of two-year-old 21.4kg cwt wethers with a 2.5cm skin sell for 413c or

Store lamb prices eased slightly this week. First and second cross terminal lambs weighing 29kg-31kg made $96.50 to $105, and 32kg-33kg drafts sold from $90 to $105. The top priced lambs were Border/Merino wether lambs weighing 39kg, selling for $108.

Cowra’s new season trade weight lambs $4 dearer

In New South Wales at the Cowra saleyards on Friday, the agents yarded 9200 lambs, 3430 more than last week, and 1810 sheep, 1120 more.

The NLRS said lamb quality was very good, particularly among the 5300 new season lambs penned. The heavy older grades were also well-presented and were mainly trade and heavy lambs with a few secondary lines. All the usual buyers operated along with one extra. Competition was good on the well-presented trade and heavy lambs, resulting in a dearer market.

Light new season lambs sold to local restockers and averaged from $98-$116. Medium and heavy trade weight new season lambs were around $4 dearer and averaged 612c/kg cwt. Most of the better heavy trade weights sold from $140-$150. Trade weight old lambs were firm to $5 dearer and made 570-585c/kg or $135. Heavy weight new season lambs sold from $160-$166 or 600c/kg. Heavy weight old lambs were $1-$7 stronger and ranged from 570-587c/kg. A few pens of extra heavy weight lambs sold from $180-$210.

Mutton quality was good, with some larger lines offered. Medium Merino 3 score ewes averaged $94 or 368c/kg cwt. Heavy cross bred ewes ranged from $112-$126.60 or 380c/kg.

Griffith’s trade lambs lift $5

In the Griffith saleyards on Friday, the agents yarded 6350 lambs, 2355 more than last week, and 3600 sheep, 1582 more.

The NLRS said lamb quality was fair, with good numbers of well-finished and grain-assisted lambs, along with the plainer types. The usual buyers competed in a dearer market. There were 650 new season lambs penned and quality was good.

Trade weight lambs sold from $124-$159, with the heavy weights making $150-$169. Old light lambs lifted $4, selling from $100-$119. Trade weights were $5 better, with prices ranging from $115-$149. Heavy and extra heavy weights lifted $3-$5. Heavy lambs ranged from $149-$165. Extra heavy weights made $158-$197. Carcase prices ranged from 584-630c/kg.

The sheep were mostly Merinos and quality was fair. Prices eased slightly, with Merino ewes selling from $80-$130. Crossbred ewes sold from $80-$110 and Merino wethers made $100-$119.

Shepparton market patchy

In Victoria at the Shepparton saleyards on Friday, the agents yarded 890 lambs, 170 more than last week, and 855 sheep, 414 more.

The NLRS said it was small and plain winter yarding, dominated by small pen lots of old season lambs as final drafts were cleaned out. Processor competition was limited to a just a couple of regular buyers. A major exporter that usually operates was absent. The market was patchy and cheaper than a week ago, with mixed quality, low numbers and limited buying field all factors in the outcome. Odd pens were passed in.

The bulk of the lamb offering comprised secondary light weight lambs which recorded varied price results. Most sales ranged from $70-$115, with a line of small recently shorn Merino lambs making $30-$55.

The few pens of better finished trade and export weight lambs sold from $125-$162. Included in this was one pen of new season lambs, estimated at about 23kg cwt, which sold for $138. Later in the sale a line of lighter young lambs sold to a local restocker for $108. Most better quality lambs made 540-570c/kg cwt.

The sheep market also trended cheaper, and one agent passed-in a draft of first cross ewes. Heavy ewes sold from $93-$127.50, middle run mutton made $60-$88 and lightweight ewes ranged from $40-$56.

Sources: AuctionsPlus, MLA, NLRS.