Thursday daily sheep summary

This week at CTLX, lamb throughput declined 24% to 3,200 head. Quality was mixed across the yarding, with fewer lines of good conditioned trade and heavy weight new season lambs on offer.

Mutton numbers decreased 24%, to 1,300 head. Merino ewes were limited in number and sold mostly to processors, while crossbreds trended cheaper overall.

• New season light weight 2 score lambs to restockers averaged 650¢/kg cwt
• New season trade weight 3 score lambs gained 53¢, to 631¢/kg cwt
• Old season trade weight 3 score lambs were up 45¢, to 603¢/kg cwt
• Light weight 2 score restocker Merino wethers averaged 442¢/kg cwt

Lamb supplies at Hamilton decreased 55%, to 742 head. Overall, it was a plainer offering of older lambs in mixed condition, with mostly light and trade weights selling to the usual field of buyers. Prices fluctuated throughout the sale, and most categories remained firm to marginally cheaper week-on-week.

Sheep consignments recorded a slight increase to 3,515 head. Competition remained mostly steady this week, with good drafts of shorn medium and heavy weight Merino wethers penned.

• Old season light weight 2 score lambs averaged 507¢/kg cwt
• Old season trade weight 3 score lambs to slaughter eased 9¢, to 544¢/kg cwt
• Medium weight 2 score Merino ewes were back 38¢, to 392¢/kg cwt
• Heavy weight 3 score first-cross ewes were up 4¢, averaging 377¢/kg cwt

At the close of Wednesday’s markets:

• The eastern states restocker lamb indicator lifted 3¢, to 636¢/kg cwt
• Merino lambs gained 2¢, on 549¢/kg cwt
• Light lambs were up 1¢, on 586¢/kg cwt
• Trade lambs were up 4¢, on 603¢/kg cwt
• Heavy lambs held firm on 608¢/kg cwt
• The mutton indicator remained steady on 407¢/kg cwt

For the full list of sheep market reports, please click here                                                 

Note: All yardings and prices referenced are from MLA reported saleyards.