TRADE, light and heavy new season lamb prices lifted at major saleyards mid-week, as wet weather conditions continued to disrupt lamb and sheep supplies to eastern states selling centres.

The National Livestock Reporting Service said widespread flooding restricted the flow of lambs into the Wagga saleyards this week, and Horsham’s lamb numbers also fell as wet conditions made stock movements difficult.

The result was a firm to dearer trend in light, trade and heavy weight lamb prices at most saleyards on Wednesday and Thursday. Lamb prices lifted $2-$5 at Wagga, Horsham and Katanning mid-week. Heavy new season lambs also rose $6 at Wagga.

After Thursday’s sales, the NLRS’s Eastern States Daily Indicators for lamb were: restocker 640c/kg, down 6 cents; Merino 558c/kg, down 1c; light 612c/kg, up 4c; trade 596c/kg, up 3c; heavy 591c/kg, up 1c. The national trade lamb indicator rose 4 cents to 598c/kg, and the heavy lamb indice was up 1 cent to 592c/kg.

The ESDI for mutton rose 7 cents to 429c/kg and the national indicator was up 8 cents to 425c/kg.

Carcoar’s trade lambs lift $5

In New South Wales at the Central Tablelands Livestock Exchange at Carcoar on Wednesday, the agents yarded 3975 lambs, 3825 fewer than last week, and 1225 sheep, 1025 less.

The NLRS said lamb quality was mixed, with good runs of good conditioned new season lambs and some plainer types. The quality of old lambs was fair and most of the usual buyers competed in the dearer market.

Light new season lambs sold from $112-$126. Trade weights were $5 dearer at from $124-$147. Heavy lambs sold from $155-$168. Carcase prices were mainly from 622-646c/kg cwt. Old light lambs averaged $115. Trade weights sold from $128-$144. Heavy and extra heavy weight lambs made $148-$155.

Sheep prices remained strong. Merino ewes sold from $79-$96. Crossbred ewes made to $105.

Wagga’s young trade lambs $2-$3 dearer

At the Wagga saleyards on Thursday, the agents yarded 21,100 lambs, 6900 fewer than last week, and 3650 sheep, 3050 less.

The NLRS said widespread flooding restricted the flow of lambs into the selling centre. New season lamb quality was quite good, with plenty of lambs suitable for the trade. Old trade and heavy lamb categories were plainer and not all buyers participated in this part of the market. The usual export and domestic buyers attended, but not all operated fully.

Bidding intensified for new season trade lambs, with some companies requiring lambs home for the kill. New season trade lambs sold $2-$3 dearer as buyers were keen to fill loads. The general run of new season trade lambs made from $113-156, or 580-603c/kg cwt. Heavy new season lambs lifted $6 to $155-$195.20. Old trade lambs were limited and made $108-$142.

The mixed quality offering of sheep had a reasonable number of heavy drafts. Several companies were keen to secure heavy sheep, lifting prices by up to $5. Heavy mutton averaged 389-429c/kg. Trade sheep were limited as prices fluctuated selling from $90$121.

Best young Yass lambs firm to $2 easier

At the South Eastern Livestock Exchange at Yass on Wednesday, the agents yarded 7731 sheep and lambs, comprising 2800 new season, 1450 crossbred lambs, 900 Merino lambs and 2581 sheep.

The yarding was of average quality and most of the usual buyers attended. Agstock agent Stephen Scroope said the market for best new season lambs was quoted as firm to $2 easier. All other categories remained firm.

New season lambs sold to $158 and averaged $129. Old lambs sold to $168 and averaged $118.50.

Wethers sold to $118.60 and averaged $103.80. Ewes sold to $120.60 and averaged $94.50.

Horsham lambs lift $2-$5

In Victoria at the Horsham saleyards on Wednesday, the agents yarded 9892 lambs, 1843 fewer than last week, and 1470 sheep, 1742 less.

The NLRS said lamb numbers were back as wet conditions made stock movements difficult. Quality was very good, with a good selection of trade and heavy weight lambs. The usual buyers operated in the firm to dearer market.

Trade and heavy lambs sold $2-$5 up on last week. The best heavy lambs estimated at 30kg cwt made $193, with heavier trade weights selling from $134-$158. Local, Mallee and Tasmanian restockers paid $90-$120.50, going. Light weight 2 score lambs sold from $94-$105. Light trade 2 and 3 score lambs sold from $103-$129 and averaged around 600c/kg. Trade weight 3 and 4 score lambs sold from $124-$140, with the heavier weights making $134-$158, or 560-620c/kg to average around 590-600c/kg. Heavy 3 and 4 score lambs sold from $151-$193 to also average around 600c/kg. Heavy hoggets made $110.

The sheep yarding included all weights and grades. Sheep sold to very strong demand to be $5-$8 up on last week. A pen of 150 full wool 3.5 year-old first cross ewes sold for $205. Medium weight 3 and 3 score mutton sheep sold from $89-$120, or 390-515c/kg. Merino mutton averaged around 500c/kg. Merino wethers sold from $87-$100 and crossbred sheep made $100-$126 at around 390c/kg.

Hamilton lamb prices firm

At the Hamilton saleyards on Wednesday, the agents yarded 270 lambs, 415 fewer than last week, and 1592 sheep, 140 less.

The NLRS said the token offering of plain to good quality lambs comprised equal numbers of old lambs and light to trade weight new season drafts. The current processor buyers attended and most operated fully, with prices for lambs fairly equal.

The new season trade weight 3 score lambs sold from $106-$134 and averaged 575c/kg. The old lamb equivalent made $94-$119 and averaged 490c/kg. The few heavier weights made $118-$128 and averaged 505c/kg. Heavy weight 3 and 4 score hoggets sold from $97-$125 at around 430c/kg.

Sheep sold mainly $7-$10 dearer. Most were well-covered and there was a good mix of ewes and wethers. The light weight 1 and 2 scores made $71-$87 and the medium weight 2 and 3 scores sold from $83-$118. The heavy weight 3 and 4 score ewes sold for $112-$131, with the best wethers making to $132. Heavy weight rams made $82-$133.

Ouyen lambs firm to $5 cheaper

The Ouyen Livestock Exchange agents yarded 12,089 new season lambs, 3648 older lambs and 2631 sheep on Thursday.

Prices for all weights and grades of lambs were quoted as firm to $5 cheaper. Mutton sheep sold $4-$6 dearer.

New season crossbred export weight lambs sold from $139-$185, or 550-580c/kg cwt, and the trade weights made $116-158, or 580-600c/kg. Store lambs sold for $79-$122, or 600-620c/kg.

Light new season Merino lambs made $84-$100, or 500-540c/kg, and the heavy lines sold from $103-$130, or 520-540c/kg.

Light sheep sold for $90-$132, or 400-440c/kg, and the heavy lines made $86-$128, or 370-400c/kg.

Katanning lambs $2-$5 dearer

In Western Australia at the Katanning saleyards, the agents yarded 3334 lambs, 257 more than last week, and 3200 sheep, 300 more.

The NLRS said the sheep and lambs were mainly good quality. All categories gained, with strong competition on ewes and lambs.

Lamb prices increased $2-$5. New season light weight lambs sold from $54-$75. Lambs suitable for air freight made $73-$89 and heavier lambs suitable for live export sold from $89-$95. The trade weight lambs sold from $90-$95. Heavy weight new season lambs were lighter than last week and made $97-$103. Feeder buyers paid $61-$70 for the lighter lambs and $93-$103 for the heavier drafts.

Restockers paid from $45 for plain young blue tag ewes and up to $107 for better quality ewes. The mutton sheep were of very good quality, with light ewes selling from $64-$70. Ewes with a fleece sold to processors for $54-$86. Prime 3 score sheep with a fleece sold from $61-$107.

Processors paid $48 for light store wethers. Restockers and feeder buyers paid $68 for plain wethers and up to $118 for large framed types. Wethers suitable for live export sold from $85-$100. Ram lambs sold from $50-$94 depending on size. Live export buyers paid $55-$75 for ram lambs. Older rams suitable for live export made from $56, restockers paid up to $99 and processors $2-$40.

Warwick mutton dearer

At the Warwick saleyards on Wednesday, the agents yarded 2164 lambs and hoggets, and 910 sheep.

The market was quoted as cheaper for lambs and dearer for mutton in the larger yarding of sheep and lambs. The top-priced lambs weighing 62.5kg lwt made $161 for vendor Carsam Pty Ltd of Nobby.  The annual Show & Rodeo Lamb Competition was well supported by vendors and buyers with the 160 lambs yarded selling to a top price of $280.

Crossbred lambs weighing 51-55kg lwt sold from $144-$160, 46-50kg lines made $136-$148, 41-45kg lambs sold for $129-$143 and the 35-40kg drafts made $120-$131. Shorn crossbred hoggets weighing 41.6kg lwt sold to $115.

Trade wethers with $25 skins sold to $150, or 400c/kg cwt, and light wethers with $10 skins made to $96, or 375c/kg.

Heavy crossbred ewes with $20 skins sold to $139, or 390c/kg, and light ewes with $6 skins made to $78, or 340c/kg.

Sources: MLA, NLRS, AuctionsPlus.