Throughput at southern Australian sheep markets declined significantly last week due to Easter, with the volumes of sheep unlikely to increase notably for at least another week.
The number of sheep and lambs in saleyards across Victoria, South Australia and NSW remained relatively lacklustre as prices rallied across most categories, signalling some processors and buyers fear a shortage could be on the cards ahead of the winter lull.
Saleyard data shows 40,000 fewer lambs were yarded in Victorian saleyards in the lead up to Good Friday, a 52 per cent drop week-on-week, with just under 36,000 head sold.
That figure was similar across the border in SA with sheep volumes down 59pc week-on-week, while SA lamb levels also dipped 33pc with just 6975 head yarded - 2000 head fewer compared to the 2021 Easter lull.
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Thomas Elders Markets commodity market insights manager Matt Dalgleish said the low volumes through saleyards were not uncommon for this time of year.
"I get the feeling there could still be a few late season lambs being held, so we might see more volume post Anzac Day and into the end of April," he said.
"However, beyond that, we will see the pre-winter lull start to take place and prices will begin to stablise as we get closer to winter."
It comes as Meat & Livestock Australia forecasts the national flock is predicted to grow by 4.9 per cent to 74.4 million head by the end of the year.
If that figure eventuates, it will be the highest the national flock has been in nine years.
Mr Dalgleish said the Eastern States Trade Lamb Indicator had experienced a slow start to 2022, with seasonal percentage price gain/losses declining by about 10 per cent since the start of the year.
"Usually you see a slight increase through the early part of the year or a flat or stablising price movement," he said.
"This year we've seen trade lamb pricing gently decreasing through the first four months of the year.
"The season in the south has been very green and there were producers who held on through early summer."
Across the eastern states, lamb throughput declined nearly 60pc last week, dropping from 192,000 head to 78,500 head.
NSW contributed more to the east coast decline than Victoria as numbers dropped by more than 70,000 head or a fall of 67pc with 34,990 lambs yarded.
Meanwhile, according to TEM, mutton experienced a similar decline to lamb with volumes easing 58pc with just 28,572 head yarded across the two key eastern states.