Around $10 dearer at Bendigo

Yarding - 19,284

Big drop in lamb numbers down to 11,400 head or 600 less, while sheep similar remained similar at 7866 head. It was a stronger lamb market, led by rises of $10 to $20/head for some categories. The stand-out improvers were heavy 26-30kg cwt lambs which had been lacking consistent support at recent sales, while light MK processing lambs were the other grade to post notable price gains.

There wasn’t a lot of price change on the extra heavy export lambs, with some key processors still quiet. Trade lambs fluctuated depending on quality and presentation. Late in the auction bidding for domestic lambs did intensify and some lines of Dorpers in the 22-24kg did sell strongly at up to $200/head. Overall, the better presented processing lambs were averaging between 800c to 840c/kg cwt in this yarding and this included the pick of the light MK style runs. But the market still showed fluctuations and there were plainer lambs that remained in the range of 730c to 780c/kg, including Merinos.

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Heavy export lambs sold from $235 to a top of $282/head to average a ballpark 810c/kg cwt. The lift in the heavy lamb market was for 26-30kg cwt crossbreds which sold from $211 to $255/head to gain nearly $20 at a cost of around 830c/kg cwt. The lead of the heavy trade lambs $190 to $216/head, while the medium trades sold from $170 to $206/head as some pens returned over 850c/kg. But there was still plainer trade lambs in the 740c to 780c/kg range. The best of the tradeweight Merino lambs $170 to $190/head. Where the market showed consistent strength was on light MK style lambs, 16-20kg cwt, the choice crossbred types from $130 to $169/head to average over 800c/kg cwt. Processors did outbid restockers on some of these lambs today. Plainer small lambs mostly $80 to $125/head.

The sheep sale featured several good lines of Merino ewes offering some wool rebate. Mutton prices were firm to $10/head dearer, the better quality sheep costing processors averages of 380c to 440c/kg cwt. A pen of heavy Merino wethers in wool topped at $167/head. Big crossbred ewes $125 to $151/head, and the lead Merino ewes with some skin from $115 to $145/head. General run of trade and light sheep mostly $60 to $110/head.

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