Lamb slaughter eases, while saleyard prices lift

Eastern states average weekly lamb slaughter during July eased 6% on the corresponding month last year, to 298,095 head, and is 7% lower than the five -year average for the month (321,718 head).

Queensland lamb slaughter remained below 100 head per week in July –  significantly lower than past years, due to a processing facility temporarily closing. Somewhat counteracting this though, was the average weekly kill in NSW lifting 11% year-on-year, to 103,676 head. Every other state registered lower average kill levels during July:

• SA slaughter was down 13%, to 34,969 head
• Victorian slaughter eased 8%, to 150,492 head
• Tasmanian slaughter slipped 36%, to 8,875 head

The tighter lamb availability helped to lift saleyard prices during the month, with the National Trade Lamb Indicator (NTLI) up 6% year-on-year, to 615¢/kg cwt, which is 21% higher than the five-year average (510¢/kg cwt). The other lamb indicators also increased on year-ago levels:

• The light lamb indicator was 6% higher, to average 567¢/kg cwt
• The heavy lamb indicator gained 8%, to settle on 635¢/kg cwt
• The Merino lamb indicator lifted 7%, to average 566¢/kg cwt
• The restocker/feeder lamb indicator increased 10%, to 566¢/kg cwt