RATES have lifted, built on tighter supplies and stronger demand from domestic and export processors.
The strength of the Wagga market was a step up in demand across heavy export lamb categories, with several companies clashing on pens weighing more than 30/kg cwt. The heaviest pens returned $7, most selling from $168-188.20 to average 492c/kg cwt. Lambs 26-30kg sold at $140-$165. Heavy bond lambs in full wool, and weighing 30kg plus, reached a top price of $165.
Underpinning the trade market was major supermarket competition, with lead pens of lambs 22-24kg selling at $122-$138 to average 515c/kg cwt.
Feedlot and interstate restocking orders pushed store lamb prices up on the back of forthcoming rain. Well-bred secondary lambs reached a top of $112 and most sales at the heavier end averaged $87.20. The only flat spot was inferior small-framed merino lambs, which made $39.
Crossbred lambs had a slight price correction of $2, as buyers shied away from longer-wool lambs lacking freshness.
At Dubbo numbers halved, with agents penning 14,170 lambs and 5,750 sheep. Feed strapped producers have taken a punt on improving weather conditions and elected to hold unfinished stock. Merino lambs were once again a must-have item, with prices for lighter weights pushed $15-$21 higher.
The reduced number of finished lambs sold to stronger competition and prices were up to $13 dearer for trade lambs. Most domestic grade lambs sold from $100-$139 to average 523c/kg cwt. Heavy lambs fetched $140-$185 to average 533-550c/kg cwt.
Prices strengthened at Bendigo in a larger offering, as selling resumed after the Anzac public holiday. Seasonal conditions in northern regions did affect results over some categories. Given the restricted numbers of heavy lambs on offer and the high Australian dollar, rates broke out of their holding pattern of past weeks and jumped $3-$6.
The National Livestock Reporting Service (NLRS) said the strongest bidding was for heavy trade lambs and they consistently fetched $130-$140 to hit a high of 560c/kg to average overall 525c/kg cwt.
The same dearer theme played out at Ballarat, as the market responded to the weekend’s rain. Numbers fell by almost a third.
Heavy lambs were the highlight with prices quoted by the NLRS $12 dearer. The highest price recorded for heavy lambs was $190 this worked out at about 499-515c/kg cwt. The other strong trend was stronger bidding from domestic processors for trade lambs, where prices surged $6-$10 to average 567c/kg cwt.
