Saleyards have benefited from increased demand from export and domestic processors.
Stronger competition last week generally led to dearer rates of $5-$15 across the board at most markets.
“Red-hot” was one word to describe heavy lambs at Wagga on Thursday, in a bigger sized yarding of 29,000 lambs. Lamb prices were $4-$13 dearer, despite the market facing pressure from a significant rise in new season supplies.
The market started off in line with recent sales, but kicked away when it came to both new season heavy lambs and old heavy lambs.
Enthused exporters drove the market $13 higher for heavy lambs, with new season lambs topping at $197 to average 611¢/kg.
Heavy old lamb rates remained sky high as a shortage at all selling centres provides support to values. Heavy portion jumped $13, recording a top price of $229. New season trade lambs continued their impressive run with further price rises recorded. Young lambs were $2-$5 dearer according to National Livestock Reporting Service, as supply continues to fall short of demand.
There were plenty of lambs estimated above 630¢/kg cwt with some exceeding 650¢ for choice pens.
The pick of the old domestic lambs lifted $5, making from $116-$164.
At the close of markets on Thursday, the price indicator had moved to 623¢/kg, 6¢ more than the previous week.
At Corowa on Monday, the market followed the dearer trend. Light sucker weight lambs were among the highlights, with processors pushing carcass weight prices up to 680¢/kg in odd sales.
There was plenty of competition for other categories, with prices generally averaging 639¢/kg cwt. Heavy new season lambs made from $150-$171 to average 623¢/kg cwt.
Similar numbers of lambs were offered at Bendigo on Monday when agents penned 14,294 lambs. More weighed from 20-30kg carcass weight, according to NLRS data. New season trade lamb rates averaged $2-$5, with the market fluctuating at times due to reduced competition from some processors. The main runs of the new season trade lambs made from $139-$172. NLRS said major domestic processors often pushed into heavier weighted lambs. Young lambs sold to a top of $186. It was one of four sales above $180, with the best pens averaging 620¢/kg cwt.
Heavy lambs were $8 dearer at Ballarat on Tuesday in a larger offering of 4101. Quality was variable, as were some of the prices. While trade lambs were firm, prices lifted for choice supermarket types as the sale progressed. Better quality trade lambs made from $135-$156, with new season trade lambs averaging 650¢-674¢/kg cwt.
