Prime Lamb & Sheep

Total Yarding: 12,416

Lamb numbers were steady and there was a bigger variation in the quality of the lambs. There were plenty of light and secondary trade lambs and a small run of good prime trades. Heavy and extra heavy lambs were better supplied and the buyers were more selective in this weight bracket taking in consideration skin and fat cover. Light lambs were cheaper and lambs from the heavy trades to extra heavy weights were firm to $5 dearer.

The 2 score processing lambs were back $3 to $4/head and sold from $74 to $117/head. Trade lambs 20 to 22kg ranged from $132 to $154/head for the 3 score lambs and averaged 660c/kg. Lambs 22 to 24kg were firm selling from $145 to $174/head and averaged 685c/kg. Heavy lambs 24 to 26kg received $160 to $179 and lambs upto 30kg sold from $181 to $206/head to average 690c/kg. Extra heavy lambs sold from $214 to $225/head. The best priced hogget reached $134/head.

Mutton numbers jumped and the quality was good. There were a few light 1 and 2 score sheep but the majority were well covered medium and heavy weights. Light mutton was steady while the better covered heavier lines were $9 to $14 dearer. Merinos were dearer partly due to a lift in skin prices. Medium weights sold from $60 to $113/head. Heavy crossbreds reached $138 and Merinos $117/head. Most averaged from 350c to 390c/kg cwt.

Market Report: MLA’s National Livestock Reporting Service. Click here to download full market report.

Photo: 38 XB Lambs sold for $225ph by MD & JJ Anderson on behalf of B & J Clark.