The CPS Thomas Ballhausen & Irvine team at Dubbo, from left, Wes Thomas, Sam Christensen, Bryce Thomas and Callan Thomas, sold these White Suffolk cross lambs for $273.60 today. Image – Rebecca Sharpe.

THE impact of recent rains was quickly felt at the first New South Wales sheep and lamb markets this week.

The National Livestock Reporting Service today reported carcase weight values for slaughter lambs at Dubbo and Tamworth jumping to consistently 800-1000c/kg and up 1100c/kg at times.

Lamb numbers at Dubbo saleyards dropped 10,585 to 4030 head and the sheep yarding fell 10,380 to 1750 after 100mm of rain in the drawing area.

The NLRS said most of the regular buyers operated on the good quality yarding, which had some top pens of very well-finished heavy weight lambs off grain, but only a limited number of trade weights.

Prices for light lambs to processors sold up to $18 dearer with the 12-18kg 2 scores selling from $115-$168, the NLRS said. Trade lambs were $10-$14 dearer and the new season lambs sold from $160-$200. Trade weight old lambs sold from $169-$205 to make 865-895c/kg cwt.

The NLRS said heavy weight lambs were $10 dearer, with the over 24kg 4 scores making $210-$274. Restocker lambs were $12 dearer at $75 to $130 and hoggets sold to $214.

CPS Thomas Ballhausen & Irvine auctioneer Bryce Thomas sold 106 White Suffolk cross lambs estimated at 30kg-plus in carcase weight for $273.60 for client Greg Hutchison to Fletcher International Exports to top the market. The skin value was estimated at $2-$4.

Agency principal Wes Thomas said the rainfall kept lambs at home, giving producers some confidence to potentially put more weight into their remaining stock.

“The supply will reduce by a great amount from now on, but if they don’t get rain for two or three weeks it will change again; they need a follow-up.

“In the short-term it will stop them.”

Dubbo mutton cheaper

The mixed yarding of mutton mostly sold $6-$10 cheaper. Merino ewes sold from $96-$167 and crossbred ewes made $88-$220. The NLRS said there was solid support from restockers, who paid $100-$150 for crossbred ewes and $149-$150 for Merino ewes.

Lamb demand outweighs supply at Tamworth

The National Livestock Reporting Service said agents yarded just 400 lambs today, down 3600 on last week, and 400 sheep, back from 1100 head.

The NLRS said the wet weather played havoc with supply. Most of the lambs were well-finished with a few pens of heavy weights.

The usual buyers attended, but struggled for supply, the NLRS said, and lamb demand outweighed supply in the dearer lamb market. There were insufficient numbers to quote a reliable price change, the NLRS said.

Most sheep at Tamworth also sold to dearer trends. Well-finished heavy and extra heavy sheep were in high demand, as were rams.

Sources: MLA and Dubbo Stock and Station Agents.