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Wednesday daily sheep summary
27 April 2016
Lamb numbers at Forbes increased 40% this week, to 31,170 head. Quality was again very mixed, with the drier seasonal conditions continuing to have an effect on condition. The usual buyers were present and active, with a small selection of well-finished lambs on offer.
Mutton consignments increased 6%, to 7,830 head. Merinos made up the bulk of the offering, with quality varying across all categories.
- Trade weight 4 score old lambs to processors eased 6¢, to 519¢/kg cwt
- Heavy weight 4 score old lambs to slaughter were up 2¢, to 512¢/kg cwt
- Extra heavy weight 4 score old lambs averaged 503¢, up 2¢/kg cwt
- Medium weight 3 score Merino ewes averaged 338¢, back 9¢/kg cwt
Lamb throughput at Ballarat increased 18%, to 24,396 head. Quality ranged across light, trade, and heavy weight categories, with the usual buyers operating in a generally cheaper market overall. Good competition was seen between restocker and feeder buyers on light lines particularly, resulting in a slightly dearer trend.
Mutton numbers decreased 19%, to 6,704 head. All weights and grades were on offer, with Merino ewes and wethers near full wool well represented, along with several pens of dry crossbred ewes.
- Trade weight 3 score old lambs to processors jumped 4¢, to 532¢/kg cwt
- Heavy weight 4 score old lambs to processors eased 22¢, to 517¢/kg cwt
- Extra heavy weight 4 score old lambs were back 3¢, to 482¢/kg cwt
- Medium weight 2 score Merino ewes were up 16¢, to 321¢/kg cwt
At the close of Tuesday’s markets:
- The eastern states restocker lamb indicator finished at 472¢/kg cwt
- Merino lambs averaged 465¢/kg cwt
- Light lambs averaged 495¢/kg cwt
- Trade lambs averaged 514¢/kg cwt
- Heavy lambs averaged 510¢/kg cwt
- The mutton indicator averaged 314¢/kg cwt
For the full list of sheep market reports, please click here
Note: All yardings and prices referenced are from MLA reported saleyards.
