Good gains for both Lamb and Mutton at Bendigo

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Yarding - 23,027 (-2853).

Lambs - 17,904 (+1124).

Sheep - 5123 (-3977).

There was a modest lift in lamb numbers to take the offering close to 18,000 head. Sheep numbers nearly halved on the levels of a week ago, leading to a significant price jump as mutton supply fell short of processor demand. It was another impressive yarding of new season lambs showing plenty of weight and finish. Buyers reported very good slaughter results from lambs purchased a week ago, and this gave them the confidence to chase the market harder this week. Prices firmed $2 to $6/head across the main runs of heavy lambs over 22kg. Supplies of light weight young lambs to suit restockers or MK processor orders remained very limited.

Bidding across the lead runs of heavy young lambs was very consistent at $200 to $246, with the main draft of 26kg to 30kg lambs averaging$230/head. Key domestic buyers were active in the heavy categories, purchasing lambs up to 28kg. Quality young lambs, 24kg to 26kg, made from $192 to $220 to average $211/head. Buyers are still reporting dull skin returns of $3 to $4 for most pelts, and based on this, the good trade and heavy lambs were working out at 800c to 820c/kg cwt. Plainer and lighter domestic lambs, some showing signs of drying-out in the skin, mostly made from $150 to $178/head. Specialist restockers from Ballarat paid to $188/head for young lambs to shear. The traditional sized store lamb at 16kg to 18kg were not really available at this sale.

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Old lambs are fading out of the system, but there was some stand-out shorn pens off grain which sold to $257/head and were dearer.

Mutton was the talking point of the sale, with price jumps of $20 to $30 common in a much smaller yarding of sheep. Bidding on heavy mutton was driven by a northern based processor. Not all the regular buyers purchased, particularly when prices opened much dearer. Heavy crossbred ewes, showing a lot of weight and fat cover sold from $182 to $230 to average over $200/head. Carcass estimates for Merino sheep kicked back over 600c/kg cwt, with heavy ewes from $168 to $210/head. Light weight mutton was also significantly dearer amid limited pens

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

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