WA weekly sheep summary

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Lambs

Moderate rainfall continued this week across most of WA’s agricultural areas. Total lamb supply lifted, with numbers at Muchea increasing slightly, to 4,600 head, while Katanning saw a sold increase week-on-week, for close to 6,000 head penned. 

• Most lambs were again secondary and store drafts, with a solid percentage being Merinos
• Prime trade and heavy lamb numbers remain limited, with most trade weight lambs again tail end drafts
• Small numbers of new season lambs were available, with a few heavy weight lambs also included

Buyers from all sectors were present this week, with improved live export activity, but two lamb processors were not active with adequate direct-to-works supplies.

• Prices for most lamb categories remained firm to marginally dearer, with prime lambs averaging close to 540¢ and the Merino and plain drafts priced between 420¢ and 480¢/kg cwt
• Trade lambs sold between $80 and $119/head to average close to 515¢, with the prime drafts dearer and averaging close to 550¢/kg cwt
• Lighter lambs suitable for the processor, air freight markets and feeders were marginally dearer, at $60 to $100/head
• Light and store lambs to restockers, mostly Merinos, sold between $30 and $75/head

Mutton

Ewe supplies lifted moderately this week, as did wether and ram supplies. Ewe mutton prices lifted on heavier weight drafts, with reasonable restocker competition. However prices for ewes to processors were mixed, with light and 2 score drafts firm, but the better conditioned and heavy weight drafts lifted $4 to $10/head (largely due to increased weight and wool length).

• Heavier 3 and 4 score ewes made from $75 to $110/head, to average close to 320¢/kg cwt
• The 2 score processor ewes sold between $55 and $80, with light ewes from $30 to $55/head
• Restocker activity remained firm on suitable drafts, with prices between $45 and $88/head

Wether prices were dearer, with solid export feeder and processor activity.

• Export weight wether drafts made $75 to $129/head, mostly to live exporters, although some sold to feeders and processors.
• Lighter conditioned wethers, mostly to export feeders made between $55 and $114/head.
• Ram lambs sold between $80 and $100, with live exporters and restockers paying $60 to $100/head on suitable drafts. Older drafts to processors made $20 to $75/head. 

Note: All yardings and prices referenced from MLA’s National Livestock Reporting Service (NLRS) reported saleyards.