Wednesday daily sheep summary

This week at Forbes, lamb supply declined 1% to 24,450 head. Quality continued to vary across all categories, with a good offering of well finished lambs penned, along with the usual plainer types. Heavy and extra heavy lines were well supplied, and the usual buyers competed in a firm to dearer market.

Mutton numbers also eased 1% this week, to 4,100 head. Merinos made up the bulk of the yarding, with quality very mixed overall.

• Light weight 3 score lambs to processors were back 1¢, to 631¢/kg cwt
• Trade weight 4 score lambs to slaughter jumped 8¢, to 645¢/kg cwt
• Heavy weight 4 score lambs sold to 658¢, averaging 622¢, back 5¢/kg cwt
• Medium weight 3 score Merino ewes were up 11¢, averaging 413¢/kg cwt  

Lamb throughput at Ballarat declined 20%, to 5,803 head. Quality varied this week, with most of the usual buying group operating in a generally firm to dearer market. Trade and heavy weight lines trended dearer, with lighter weights also attracting strong demand.

Mutton consignments decreased 44% to 2,191 head. All weights and grades were well represented this week, with quality improving across all categories.

• Light weight 2 score lambs to processors gained 34¢, to 622¢/kg cwt
• Trade weight 3 score lambs to slaughter averaged 653¢, up 4¢/kg cwt
• Medium weight 3 score Merino ewes were up 40¢, averaging 433¢/kg cwt
• Light weight 2 score Merino wethers averaged 361¢/kg cwt

At the close of Tuesday’s markets:

• The eastern states restocker lamb indicator averaged 618¢, up 13¢/kg cwt from where it finished the previous day
• Merino lambs were back 10¢, on 544¢/kg cwt
• Light lambs were up 5¢, to 567¢/kg cwt
• Trade lambs were up 2¢, on 639¢/kg cwt
• Heavy lambs were firm, on 643¢/kg cwt
• The mutton indicator gained 6¢, on 388¢/kg cwt

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

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