Wednesday daily sheep summary

Lamb numbers increased at Ballarat this week to 16,178 head. Quality was good and the yarding consisted of more young lambs and only a small run of old lambs. The usual buying group attended and operated in wet conditions, with young lambs selling from firm to a few dollars easier in places, mostly on the heavier trade weights.

There were 3,165 sheep yarded, back 605 head week-on-week, with most of the regular buying group operating in a stronger market.

• New season light trade weight 3 score lambs eased 12¢, to 616¢/kg cwt
• New season heavier trade weight 3 score lambs slipped 44¢, to 605¢/kg cwt
• New season heavy weight 3 score lambs were back 20¢, to 603¢/kg cwt
• Heavy weight 3 score Merino ewes reached 476¢ and averaged 450¢/kg cwt

Consignments to Forbes dropped, with lambs showing the largest decrease, back 31% to 15,460 head. Approximately half of the lambs yarded were new season lambs and included good numbers of well-presented lines, along with a few plainer and drier types. The usual buyers were present and operating in a slightly dearer market.

Mutton numbers decreased 22% to 4,400 head. Quality was mixed and consisted mostly of Merinos which sold to a dearer trend.

• New season light trade weight 3 score lambs were 4¢ dearer, averaging 647¢/kg cwt
• New season heavier trade weight 3 score lambs eased 1¢, to 643¢/kg cwt
• Medium weight 3 score Merino ewes lifted 14¢ to average 412¢/kg cwt

At the close of Tuesday’s markets:

• The eastern states restocker lamb indicator settled on 656¢/kg cwt
• Merino lambs were on 554¢/kg cwt
• Light lambs averaged 603¢/kg cwt
• Trade lambs settled on 590¢/kg cwt
• Heavy lambs were on 589¢/kg cwt
• The mutton indicator settled on 417¢/kg cwt

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

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