WA lamb supply edges higher

This week, WA lamb saleyard throughput was around 3,000 head higher week-on-week and 22% higher than the five-year average, at 10,186 head. Both Katanning and Muchea yarded around 5,000 head, with stronger demand reported across well-finished young lambs.

Of the total yarded this week, around 6,000 head were young lambs. For November-to-date, young lamb throughput is close to 19,000 head, down around 2,000 head year-on-year.

WA weekly lamb slaughter reached the highest level since MLA began reporting data last August, ending last week at 72,249 head.

Restockers provided added support for store lambs at Muchea, which saw prices lift. The WA restocker lamb indicator jumped 34¢ week-on-week, to 542¢, with the indicator also up 120¢/kg cwt year-on-year. Merino lambs gained 15¢ week-on-week, to 456¢, while light lambs lifted 3¢ to average 509¢/kg cwt. The WA trade lamb indicator eased 4¢ from last week’s levels, to 465¢, and 37¢ year-on-year, while the heavy lamb indicator decreased 6¢ to average 458¢/kg cwt.

Mutton saleyard supply in WA, however, was lower this week, at 14,542 head. WA sheep slaughter has been steady throughout November, with most weeks hovering around 22,800 head. Compared to last year though, mutton slaughter in November has nearly halved.

The tighter supplies saw the WA mutton indicator lift 11¢ week-on-week and 53¢ from the same time last year, to finish on 298¢/kg cwt.