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Vic weekly sheep summary
02 July 2015
Lamb
Lamb numbers declined this week, back 16% to 27,909 head. Horsham halved in size, to 2,440 head, while supply at Ballarat slipped 16% to 10,449 head. Throughput at Bendigo and Hamilton eased 5% and 3%, to 9,664 head and 5,356 head, respectively.
Light weight 2 score Merino lambs gained 22¢, returning 561¢, while those to processors averaged 599¢, back 6¢/kg cwt. Light trade weight lambs to processors were 1¢ dearer, at 629¢, and heavy trade weights gained 12¢, returning an average of 623¢/kg cwt. Heavy weight 3 score lambs to slaughter sold between 578¢ and 683¢, averaging 634¢, up 29¢/kg cwt.
Mutton
Victorian sheep supply remained reasonably steady to offer 12,491 head in total. Numbers at Ballarat increased by 44% week-on-week, to 4,202 head, while throughout at Bendigo eased by 33%, to 4,006 head. Hamilton and Horsham recorded increases of 23% and 25%, penning 2,032 head and 2,251 head respectively.
Light weight 2 score Merino ewes averaged 389¢, back 27¢ while medium weight Merino ewes were 22¢ dearer on 429¢/kg cwt. Heavy weight 3 score first cross ewes returned an average of 374¢, easing 14¢/kg cwt. The 3 score medium weight Merino wethers sold between 384¢ and 444¢, slipping 51¢/kg cwt.
Note: All yardings and prices referenced from MLA’s National Livestock Reporting Service (NLRS) reported saleyards.
