A weaker market with exceptions at Bendigo

Yarding - 24,210

Supply lifted to 15,960 lambs and 8250 sheep for a combined increase of around 5000 head. More new season lambs appeared, although a lot of the extra supply was in the lighter weight categories stemming from a large line of 1000 very young Dorpers and a draft of Merinos under 20kg cwt. In fact a good percentage of the overall yarding today comprised lambs under 22kg cwt. It played into market results, with the best heavy and trade lambs firm to dearer in places, while secondary and light lambs lost $5 to $20/head on a week ago. New season lambs also showed a price fall of $10 to $20/head, although noting Bendigo was coming off some strong results last Monday and today’s results were more aligned with the general trend of the past 5-days. As a guide the best processing lambs tracked in the range of 800c to 860c/kg cwt in this sale, while the average and plainer lots of old lambs were generally in the 700c to 770c/kg range. The segment of the sale which lost the most momentum was the general run of old season light lambs weighing less than 20kg cwt.

Some agents led their runs with new season lambs, and the lead pens of heavy tradeweights mostly sold in a range of $210 to $235/head, with just a few small pen lots of heavier types at $240 to a top of $250/head. Leaner trade young lambs, around 22-24kg cwt, sold from $172 to $204 and the size down, 20-22kg cwt, from $146 to $160/head. The best of the processing young lambs were estimated at 800c to 860c/kg cwt, rates slipping below 800c/kg cwt on trade lambs with less finish and weight. The big run of young Dorper lambs sold from $48 to $84 to restockers, with the tops to $126/head to MK processors. The big line young Merino lambs, in fresh condition, to a top of $150 to processors and then from $78 to $128/head to restockers.

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There was less weight in the old season lamb run this week, the 30kg cwt plus pens from $234 to a top of $261/head. The best of the heavy 26-30kg cwt lambs from $215 to $248, and heavy trades $187 to $216/head. Where the market became selective and showed more price variance was on the general run of plainer old lambs between 20-24kg cwt with a lot of sales from $144 to $184/head. But it was light lambs under 20kg cwt which lost the most traction in the auction at $50 to $110/head over a lot of pens.

The sheep market was weaker. Heavy mutton lost $10 to $20/head after holding-up a week ago, with prices for most big ewes between $80 and $120/head, with just a few sales higher to a top of $132 when a couple of buyers argued. Decent trade and light sheep were a few dollars easier at $40 to $78/head. Very plain light ewes struggled at $2 to $20/head. The average rate for the better lines of processing mutton was 300c to 380c/kg cwt, with plain and light sheep below this level.

https://www.bendigo.vic.gov.au/Services/Bendigo-Livestock-Exchange