MLA’s weekly cattle and sheep market wrap
22 July 2021
Key points:
- EYCI gets within 4¢ of the 1,000¢/kg cwt mark
- Heavy and Merino lamb prices continue to rise
- National mutton slaughter surges
Young cattle
This week, the EYCI climbed to a new all-time record. On Tuesday it hit a peak of 996.4¢/kg cwt. The price is being driven by the Roma saleyards, which now account for nearly 40% of the Indicator’s eligible cattle.
This week we have also seen the proportion of cattle going to restockers grow marginally, with less going to feedlots.
Heavy and Merino lambs
Most sheep and lamb categories have reached the seasonal winter peak, with prices easing slightly. Prices for heavy and Merino lambs are the exception. In some sales, the number of heavy lambs were down slightly, helping support their price rise.
Mutton slaughter
Last week, mutton slaughter hit 73,567 on a national basis. This was 22,845, or 45%, higher than the week prior when slaughter was at 50,722 head, the lowest level all year. This indicates that more sheep supply is coming back online.
© Meat & Livestock Australia Limited, 2021
