Tuesday daily sheep summary

At Dubbo this week, lamb throughput declined 8% - to 20,000 head. In what was a plainer quality yarding overall, all the regular buyers competed in a stronger market. A good selection of heavy weights, along with a fair representation of trade sections were on offer – with some however starting to show the effects of the hot conditions.

Mutton consignments increased 14%, to 7,740 head. Some very good quality sheep were on offer this week, along with a larger presence of plainer lines in a mixed yarding overall.

• Light weight 3 score new season lambs to restockers averaged 578¢/kg cwt
• Trade weight 3 score old season lambs to processors gained 15¢, at 610¢/kg cwt
• Heavy weight 4 score old season lambs to slaughter jumped 32¢, to 639¢/kg cwt
• Extra heavy weight 4 score old season lambs were up 48¢, at 680¢/kg cwt
• Heavy weight 4 score Merino ewes finished 8¢ dearer, averaging 418¢/kg cwt

Lamb numbers at Bendigo over doubled week-on-week, to 20,790 head. Quality improved notably on the previous sale, with more weight and better finish on offer. All the regular buyers operated in a fluctuating market which eased slightly on the heights reached in weeks prior. Interestingly, heavier sections attracted the strongest bidding, with quality and fat cover throughout trade weights varying particularly.

Sheep throughput declined 17%, to 4,000 head. Following a similar trend to lambs, mutton prices eased week-on-week, with the supply of lighter weights restricted to some plainer pens.

• Trade weight 3 score old season first-cross lambs eased 65¢, averaging 582¢/kg cwt
• Heavy weight 3 score old season lambs to processors slipped 20¢, to 607¢/kg cwt
• Extra heavy weight 3 score old season lambs averaged 11¢ cheaper, at 618¢/kg cwt
• Medium weight 2 score Merino ewes were back 36¢, at 398¢/kg cwt

At the close of Monday’s markets:

• The eastern states restocker lamb indicator averaged 669¢, lifting 5¢/kg cwt on where it finished the previous day  
• Merino lambs averaged 548¢, back 5¢/kg cwt
• Light lambs averaged 621¢, down 1¢/kg cwt
• Trade lambs averaged 606¢, back 3¢/kg cwt
• Heavy lambs averaged 608¢, up 3¢/kg cwt
• The mutton indicator finished 1¢ lower, at 405¢/kg cwt

For the full list of sheep market reports, please click here                                  Note: All yardings and prices referenced are from MLA reported saleyards.