Heavy Lamb price accelerate at Bendigo

Yarding - 31,045

Lamb supply reduced to 19,395 head around 5000 less than a week ago. Quality continues to decline and the yarding did have a lot of rain on it overnight which didn’t help presentation. Once again the talking point was the lack of weight and finish across the offering, and the price difference between heavier processing lambs and those under 21kg cwt continued to expand. Any heavier lambs were firm to dearer today while lighter lambs were cheaper. Store lambs were also cheaper amid less quality and less restocking support compared to a week ago.

A pen of export shorn lambs up around 34kg cwt topped at $300/head, another highlight being $280/head for shorn lambs estimated at 29kg cwt as some of the heavy lambs sold well into the 900c/kg price range. The main run of heavy young lambs, 26-30kg cwt, sold from $215 to $271/head to average around 860c/kg with the lead pens over 900c/kg. The heavy trade 24-26kg cwt young lambs $200 to $241/head at a ballpark cost of 850c/kg, again with some sales over 900c; followed by the 22-24kg cwt run at $180 to $224/head.

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Once under 21kg cwt it was a cheaper market for lambs at $140 to $180/head for a lot of stock at an estimated 740c to 780c/kg cwt. Store lamb quality was plainer and with less agents buying store lambs prices retreated, the small 12-16kg crossbred lambs from $48 to $124 to average $96/head to the paddock. Bigger framed store lambs $125 to $144/head. The Merino lambs on offer tended to be lighter weight types at $74 to $123/head for most.

Sheep numbers remained high at 11,650 head, but there was less heavy lines of mutton available. Prices tracked either side of the improves rates of a week ago, most sheep costing processors and estimated 360c to 400c/kg cwt. Heavy Merinos to $128 and crossbred ewes $90 to $112/head with not as much weight. Most trade sheep $60 to $90/head.

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