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Lamb slaughter continues to build
28 January 2016
Eastern states weekly lamb slaughter continued to lift last week to 431,095 head.
While NSW and Queensland recorded near average kills for this time of year, at 104,702 head and 6,788 head, respectively, dry conditions in the southern states are having a considerable effect on lamb slaughter levels. Last week, Tasmania slaughter was 16% above year-ago levels, at 17,327 head, while Victoria and SA were 11% and 68% higher than the corresponding week last year, at 211,343 head and 90,935 head, respectively.
The public holiday on Tuesday affected saleyard supplies this week, as well as widespread rainfall across most of the country. Despite the lower numbers, there were good quality pens of lambs on offer, with a large percentage of supplementary fed lambs at Wagga in excess of 24kg cwt. The rain also ignited the mutton market – lifting $10 to $15/head at the close of Wagga’s market.
At the conclusion of Thursday’s markets:
- The eastern states restocker lamb indicators was 41¢ dearer on 556¢/kg cwt
- Merino lambs lifted 10¢ to 467¢, while light lambs gained 28¢ to 507¢/kg cwt
- The Eastern States Trade Lamb Indicator (ESTLI) increased 24¢ to 549¢/kg cwt
- The heavy lamb indicator was 14¢ higher on 554¢/kg cwt
- The mutton indicator increased 23¢ to average 290¢/kg cwt.
