60,000 Sheep and Lambs yarded at Ballarat

Yarding - 60,906 (+14,407).

Lambs - 45,406 (+8,007).

Sheep - 15,500 (+6,400).

Ballarat agents yarded 45,406 lambs and 15,500 sheep this week, that’s up 8,000 lambs. Quality ranged from average to very good, although there are not as many heavy weight lambs being yarded, all categories were on offer. The usual buying group attended and operated keenly in a firm to dearer market. Young unshorn lambs sold from around last weeks’ levels to $5/head stronger on the well-presented quality lambs. Extra heavy young lambs reached $240, and the heavier trade weights have sold from $161 to $188/head to average around 710c/kg cwt. Several pens of nicely presented shorn young lambs, off supplementary feed sold from $212 to $234/head. Heavy old lambs sold from $160 to $198/head. A large following of restocker and feeder buyers, from the Wimmera, Gippsland, Mallee areas, North East Vic, Local and Riverina areas competed keenly on suitable young lambs both unshorn and shorn. They paid mostly from $90 to $161, and from $44 to $90 for lighter lots, with shorn young lambs selling from $101 to $157, most restocker lambs were $5 to $8/head up on last weeks’ levels.

Ad - The best Sheep pregnancy scanner in the country - Simon Walsh Ultrasound Pregnancy Testing - Ad

Light weight 2 score young lambs sold from $100 to $122/head. Light trade 2 and 3 score young lambs sold from $119 to $157/head and averaged around 700c/kg cwt. Trade weight 3 and 4 score lambs sold from $143 to $166, with the heavier weights selling from $161 to $188/head, they ranged from 650c to 750c to average around 710c/kg cwt. Heavy 3 and 4 score lambs sold from $181 to $218/head to average 710c/kg cwt. Extra heavy export lambs sold from $228 to $240/head and averaged 715c/kg cwt. Heavy crossbred hoggets sold to $155, and the Merino hoggets sold to $149.20/head.

There were 15,500 sheep yarded, and quality ranged from plain to very good. There were large numbers of Merino wethers yarded and they attracted keen competition making to $164/head. Large numbers of crossbred ewes were also yarded and they sold to $150/head. The regular buying group was in attendance and most operated in a sheep market that fluctuated a few dollars either side of firm. Merino wethers sold from unchanged to $10/head easier in places.

Ad - The best Sheep pregnancy scanner in the country - Simon Walsh Ultrasound Pregnancy Testing - Ad

Light weight 1 and 2 score sheep sold from $38 to $89/head and averaged around 400c/kg cwt, with very light sheep selling from $3 to $59/head. Medium weight 2 and 3 score sheep sold from $66 to $123/head, and ranged from 300c to 455c, with the Merino mutton averaging around 430c/kg cwt. Heavy Merino ewes sold to $115, the heavy Merino wethers sold from $104 to $164 and the medium weights sold from $80 to $110/head, the heavy Merino sheep ranged from 410c to 450c/kg cwt. Heavy crossbred ewes sold from $90 to $150/head and averaged 390c to 400c/kg cwt. Rams sold from $24 to $83/head.