Mutton kill numbers in Victoria and NSW are running around 60 per cent above last year as dry conditions and good prices entice stock sales forward.
In Victoria, slaughter figures for the week ending August 10 were 11pc percent higher than the previous week, and 64pc ahead of last year at 66,316 head.
In NSW, kill numbers jumped 6pc on the previous week, to 62,609, marking 50pc higher than 2017.
According to the latest figures from Meat and Livestock Australia, from April to June this year the mutton kill totaled 864,000 compared with 513,749 for 2017 – a 68pc increase.
Riverina Livestock Agents director, James Tierney, Wagga Wagga, NSW, said drought conditions west and north of the region were driving the influx of sheep.
“A lot don’t want to be selling but they have to. There are definitely sheep being killed that would normally be retained in the flock,” he said.
“That will be a big negative to the number of lambs from the region that will be available next year.”
He said producers also had to factor in the price of hay and grain to feed retained livestock.
The biggest flush in numbers from NSW should be over after another month.
Mr Tierney said prices had come off after the peaks but were still at historically good levels.
“It’s probably a good opportunity for southern operators to step in on the store sheep and fatten them,” he said.
Sheep Producers Australia economics, trade and industry affairs manager, Stephen Crisp, said producers in drought affected areas were making decisions to reduce stock numbers.
Most producers were letting go of old ewes they had been trying to hold for an extra wool clip and an extra lambs, he said.
”We would like to see the flock growing but decisions have to be made as people try to hold onto a nucleus of ewes,” he said.
Mr Crisp said producers were also faced with the uncertainty of how long the conditions would remain and the cost of feeding livestock retained.
Elders auctioneer Ryan Sargeant, Yea, said much of the increase in mutton numbers south of the border was about producers trading old sheep for young stock.
With mutton making good money it was an attractive price change over for the opportunity, he said.
Mutton numbers at Wagga last Thursday totaled 16,300 – 25 percent of yarding while Bendigo on Monday reported yarding 8248 sheep, 28 percent of the yarding.
At Wagga the ewe portion of the yarding sold between $10 and $165 while at Bendigo they made $34 to $160.
NLRS reported the yarding at Wagga was of mixed quality and sold at slightly cheaper rates.
At Bendigo on Monday mutton was quoted dearer.