SLAUGHTER lamb prices held firm in saleyards last Friday and despite the number of store lambs rising, demand was solid.

Restockers also bid into light slaughter categories, keeping pressure on processors.

In New South Wales at the Cowra saleyards on Friday, light 12.1-18kg cwt lambs with $2-$7 skins made $49-$106, or 336-565c/kg. The 18.1-22kg lambs with $2-$8 skins sold from $104-$128, or 500-563c/kg, and the 22.1-26kg-plus lambs with $6-$10 skins made $123-$152, or 488-533c/kg.

At the Griffith saleyards, the light slaughter lambs with $1-$9 skins sold from $65-$106, or 429-619c/kg. Light and medium trade lambs with $1-$9 skins made $102-$128, or 464-547c/kg, and 22.1kg-plus lambs with $1-$9 skins ranged from $120-$149, or 496-519c/kg.

In Victoria at the Shepparton saleyards, the 12.1-18kg cwt lambs with skins valued at up to $7 made $66-$99.60, or 453-553c/kg. The 18.1-22kg lambs with skins worth up to $12 sold from $96-$118.60, or 468-557c/kg. Trade lambs weighing 22.1-26kg cwt with skins value at up to $12 made $115-$136, or 438-511c/kg.

NLRS lamb indicators mostly firm to dearer

After last Friday’s saleyard sales The National Livestock Reporting Service’s Eastern States Daily Indicators for lambs were mostly firm to dearer, with the exception of restocker lambs.

The lamb ESDIs, their daily and weekly changes were: restocker 538c/kg, down 4 cents, down 20c; Merino 443c/kg, no change, down 5c; light 482c/kg, up 4c, up 12c; trade 502c/kg, up 1c; down 7c; heavy 499c/kg, nc, up 6c. The national trade lamb indicator closed at 503c/kg, up 1 cent, and the heavy indice was firm at 500c/kg.

The mutton ESDI lifted 1 cent to 327 and the national mutton indicator was firm on 328c/kg.

AuctionsPlus offering contracts

After rain across south-eastern Queensland and north east NSW, AuctionsPlus’ sheep and lamb offering contracted by just over 8000 last week to 60,555.

A small offering of unjoined young Merino breeders sold from $84-$120, with an average of $104.90.

Proven Merino breeders made from $73 up to $118 for 6.5 year-old 63kg score 1 Haddon Rig and Toota blood ewes joined to Mandalay blood Poll Dorset rams at Bourke in New South Wales.

Buyers bid strongly on woolly Merino wethers lambs and grown wethers. Wether lambs sold from $56-$80.50, with an average of $67.30. The top priced mob were unshorn June-July Langdene blood lambs, 14.1kg cwt, from Bigga, NSW. A large offering of woolly Watervalley bred wether lambs from Kingston SA also drew bidding activity with a range of $47-$75.50 and an average of $59.

Young unjoined first cross ewes and ewe lambs continued to catch bidders attention with an average of $147.70, selling from $127.50 up to $170 for 13-14 month-old ewe hoggets, 54.2kg lwt and almost all score 4, out of Hazeldean Merino ewes and by Gromore Border Leicester rams from Yeoval NSW.

Unjoined 1-2 year-old Gunbar and Kelleen blood Dorper ewe hogget, 55.1kg lwt, from Balranald NSW made $133.50.  A line of unjoined Cashmore-Oaklea blood 14-16 month-old composite ewe hogget, 55.1kg lwt, from Kalangadoo, South Australia, made $175.

Store lambs weighing 24-28kg made $50.50-$78.50, with an average of $67.70 or 668c carcase weight, including skin value. Lambs weighing 29-32kg ranged from $75.50-$89, with an average of $83 or 643c/kg. The top-priced line were 32kg lwt Poll Dorset cross unshorn mixed sex lambs from Merton, Victoria. Lambs weighing 33-35kg averaged $81.60 or 578c/kg, with a range of $55-$93.50. Lines of 37-39kg lwt made $71-$106.50, with an average $91 or 555c/kg. The heaviest lambs offered weighing 44kg lwt sold from $108-$119, with an average of $113.50 or 602c/kg. The top-priced mob were unshorn mixed sex first cross lambs, 43.6kg cwt, from Walgett, NSW.

Cowra’s medium and heavy trade lambs up $1-$4

In New South Wales at the Cowra saleyards on Friday, the agents yarded 12,150 lambs, 5350 more than last week, and 1250 sheep, 350 more.

The NLRS said the quality of the trade and heavy new season lambs was good. Mainly trade weights were penned with fewer heavy weight lambs. More store lambs were yarded and their quality was mixed. All the usual buyers operated and competition was solid, resulting in a firm to slightly dearer market.

Light lambs sold to processors averaged $101, up $5. Store lambs held firm and averaged from $80-$104. Medium and heavy trade weight new seasons sold $1-$4 dearer at around 530-540c/kg cwt. Most of the better heavy trade weights sold from $118-$128. Heavy weight lambs were around firm at 500-510c/kg. A couple of pens of extra heavy weights sold from $145-$152.

Sheep quality was reasonable. Medium Merino wethers averaged $67, or 270c/kg cwt. Heavy first cross ewes held firm and averaged $88.70, or 296c/kg.

Griffith lambs generally sold firm

At the Griffith saleyards on Friday, the agents yarded 6600 lambs, m4700 fewer than last week, and 2900 sheep, 100 less.

The NLRS said 5400 very mixed quality new season lambs were penned. Some handy pens of well-finished lambs were offered, along with more store-type lines. Most of the usual buyers competed in a fairly steady market.

New season lambs sold to restockers for $65-$104. Light lambs held firm at $101-$106. Trade weights were firm to $1 better at $115-$128. Heavy lambs made $128-$149. Carcase prices ranged from 506-519c/kg cwt.

Old light lambs averaged $93. Trade weights sold from $104-$116. Heavy lambs made $117-$136.

The sheep were mostly mixed quality Merinos. Prices lifted, with Merino ewes selling from $74-$105. Crossbred ewes made $70-$90.

Shepparton new season lamb prices slightly easier

In Victoria at the Shepparton saleyards on Friday, the agents yarded 4350 lambs, 3000 fewer than last week, and 1100 sheep, 150 more,

The NLRS said new season lamb quality remained mixed, with most showing the effects of the dry season. A good field of domestic and export buyers operated, along with restockers from the local area and southern NSW. Prices were similar to a few dollars easier compared to the stronger rates of the last week.

The market reached a top of $136 for a pen of heavy trade weight lambs. The supply of well-finished heavy slaughter lambs was limited. About 10 pens of young lambs weighing an estimated 23-25kg cwt sold from $120-$130, with just the one quality line making $136. The general run of domestic lambs, 20-22kg, sold from $105-$116. An estimated range of 460-520c/kg cwt covered most sales.

Store lamb competition was solid and buyers bid on a slightly bigger lamb than last week at $90-$103. Most smaller lambs sold back to the paddock at $71-$89. Store buyers also put pressure on meat buyers for lighter weight kill lambs and young lambs in the 16-18kg cwt category recorded a dearer average than last week.

Sheep prices trended dearer, with the best lines of mutton averaging over 300c/kg cwt. Heavy crossbred ewes sold from $85-$95 and Merino ewes to $95. Most lighter and trade ewes sold from $55-$80.

Sources: MLA, NLRS, AuctionsPlus.