Persistent dry weather continues to pressure producers, pushing bigger numbers of light weight lambs into the saleyards.
It was a bigger sized market on Thursday at Wagga in the Riverina, where agents sold 31,000 lambs and 21,000 sheep on a week ago.
Deteriorating water and feed conditions across southern NSW was blamed for the bigger numbers of store lambs. But while lighter weight and plainer conditioned lambs dominated, rates were supported by strong competition from restockers with the greatest strength coming from the south. Ballarat restockers stepped up into quality domestic lambs paying for the better lines $120-$165, while other lighter weights made form $89-$118. Plain nondescript lambs sold mostly to local competition to place on failed or recently bailed crop paying from $26-$89.
The National Livestock Reporting Service noted that most of the well finished types comprised mainly of trade weight lambs, with heavy lambs in limited supply. Despite the shortage of Heavy lamb’s buyers showed little urgency when bidding. Heavy rates dipped $12 making from $186-$222 to average 719c/kg cwt.
Trade lambs were firm to a few dollars cheaper making from $140-$196.20. Light lambs to the processors fluctuated making from $95-$138.
Lamb prices have started the week on a good note with some centres quoted up to $10 dearer than the previous sale. The eastern states indicators rose 5c/kg as buyers bid more freely for lambs.
Corowa’s market of 14,167 lambs was quoted by the NLRS $6-$10 dearer with some lambs making more than 800c/kg. The bulk of the trade lambs sold from $140-$198. Heavy lambs tracked $2 easier selling from $180-$221. On the prediction of more rain in NSW the mutton market powered ahead $15-$30. Heavy sheep topped at $171 with most mutton averaging 450-490c/kg cwt
Bendigo’s offering of 24,100 lambs was also up to $11 dearer for the lighter weight trade lamb, with prices pressured by specialist lamb fatners. The bulk of these lambs 18-22kg made $138-$166. Other store lambs to turnout sold at $73-$127
The best supermarket type lambs lifted $6 making from $172-$190. The heaviest pens weighing over 27kg cwt sold from $215-$233.
The mutton market made significant gains of $15-$29 boosted by increased competition and some rain in the north over recent days. Light sheep made from $49-$102 while medium and heavy mutton sold from $93-$162 to average 399c-483c/kg cwt.
It was a buoyant lamb and sheep market held at the Ballarat saleyards for the last time, before starting next week in the new facility at Miners Rest. Improving quality and rain across some parts of eastern Australia helped lift rates up to $6-$10 for lambs and $12-$38 for sheep.
New season trade lambs have defied traditional price patterns that have pushed averages back over 790c for lambs weighing 22-24kg. Overall trade lambs sold $7-$10 dearer. Demand for the best heavy lambs improved $7 selling at $190-$242.
The heaviest crossbred sheep made from $110-$188, while heavy Merino wethers sold $38 dearer making from $122-$160. Trade sheep averaged 440c/kg cwt.
