Bendigo Market unpredictable as buyers picked through the offering

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Yarding - 9,000 (-9,000).

Lambs - 7,000 (-6,000).

Sheep - 2,000 (-3000).

Lamb supply eased to 7,000 head, influenced by the lower prices on offer as well as fewer numbers being available this late in winter. The regular buying group attended, but once again not all exporters or domestic companies operated fully. The market was unpredictable as buyers picked through the offering. There were two strong domestic buyers competing for the better presented runs of trade weight lambs.

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The result was varied price trends, with the heavier lambs mostly firm, while the good domestic lambs were from $5 to $10/head dearer, and light weight lambs were cheaper.

Competition for extra heavy lambs over 30kg remained small in a limited line-up. The main run of heavy crossbred lambs weighing 26-30kg sold from $234 to a top of $259, to be within $1 of last week at an average of $250/head. Bidding was strongest on the lead of the trade weight lambs, 22-24kg, in shorter skins. These sold from $208 to $223, to average $215/head, with the best selling over 900c/kg cwt. However, there was little price improvement for plainer trade weight lambs, particularly those in long rough skins or in small pen lots of less than 20 head. Overall, the market still showed a wide carcase price spread from 800c to 900c, with the better slaughter lambs sitting above850c/kg. There were a few pens of new season lambs, with the lead estimated at 22-23kg cwt which sold from $204 to $212/head. Lightweight lamb were cheaper over plain quality.

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The sheep yarding reduced to 2,000 head, with agents suggesting numbers will remain tight until the next flush of ewe numbers appear after lamb weaning. Quality was very mixed, with many pens of a few head coming through and prices for mutton fluctuated. Heavy crossbred ewes sold from $180 to $220, with some heavy shorn Merino wethers making to $196/head. Good mutton was estimated to cost processors from 550c to 600c/kg cwt

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