Wednesday daily sheep summary

Forbes lamb supplies declined 18% this week, to 12,850 head. Quality remained mostly similar on the previous sale, with a large percentage of lambs continuing to show signs of dryness. The usual buyers competed in a firm to slightly easier market, with a fair offering of new season lambs penned.

Sheep consignments decreased 2%, to 6,050 head. Quality was fair, with a few good drafts of medium and heavy weight mutton on offer and prices marginally dearer as a result.

• New season light weight 2 score lambs to restockers were back 11¢, to 612¢/kg cwt
• New season  trade weight 4 score lambs to slaughter eased 17¢, to 569¢/kg cwt
• Old season heavy weight 4 score lambs to processors were up 14¢, to 583¢/kg cwt
• Medium weight 3 score Merino ewes finished 7¢ dearer, averaging 396¢/kg cwt

This week at CVLX Ballarat, lamb throughput increased 3% to 37,028 head. With the largest penning on offer so far this spring selling season, quality was again good to very good in sections. The usual buying group operated in a mostly firmer market, with some categories marginally stronger on the week prior.

Mutton numbers increased 21%, to 6,103 head. All weights and grades were on offer and despite most selling to a dearer trend, not all the usual buyers operated fully.

• New season light weight 2 score lambs to restockers were up 26¢, to 605¢/kg cwt
• New season trade weight 3 score lambs to processors sold to 596¢, averaging 535¢/kg cwt
• New season heavy weight 4 score lambs to slaughter gained 10¢, at 542¢/kg cwt
• New season extra heavy weight 4 score lambs were back 10¢, to 527¢/kg cwt
• Heavy weight 4 score first-cross ewes finished 4¢ dearer, at 350¢/kg cwt

At the close of Tuesday’s markets:

• The eastern states restocker lamb indicator slipped 5¢, averaging 612¢/kg cwt
• Merino lambs were up 2¢, to 496¢/kg cwt
• Light lambs eased 1¢, to 562¢/kg cwt
• Trade lambs were down 1¢, on 537¢/kg cwt
• Heavy lambs dropped 1¢, to 529¢/kg cwt
• The mutton indicator settled 2¢ lower, on 395¢/kg cwt

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

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