Prime Lamb & Sheep

Total Yarding: 19,541

Lamb numbers increased and the quality was mixed. There were nearly 8000 new season lambs penned and the main rise in numbers were in the store and light trade lambs, there were good numbers of trade weights and a small offering of heavy lambs. There were a lot of new season lambs drying off and there was more with seed on the skin. Old lambs were limited and mostly trade weights with the odd heavy lambs, shorn lambs demanded a premium and a small run of mostly light Merinos. All the regular buyers and two extra buyers were operating. The market trend was dearer on the light and trade lambs but eased on the heavy weights as quality slipped.

New season store lambs to 18kg were dearer selling from $32 to $78/head. Trade weights 22 to 24kg ranged from $98 to $113/head averaging 460c/kg and the 24 to 26kg $102 to $112/head or 420c/kg. Heavy weight to 30kg sold from $120 to $127/head averaging 425c/kg.

Old trades were firm to $5 cheaper selling between $65 and $86/head, heavy lambs gain around $10 on a limited supply and sold from $98 to $116/head and extra heavy weights reached $130/head. Light Merinos sold from $14 to $34/head and the best of the heavy hoggets reached $70/head.

Mutton numbers lifted the quality was similar with mostly medium weight ewes and a few heavy weights offered. There was a nice run of Merino wethers. Prices were firm to $5 dearer. Medium weight ewes ranged from $16 to $32 and heavy crossbred ewes reached $57/head. Merino ewes reached $46 as did the wethers.

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

Photo: 53 XB Suckers sold for $122ph by Butt Livestock on behalf of L&S Bush.